NEP
The Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) Agreements require WTO members to establish a National Enquiry Point (NEP) as a way of mitigating problems business enterprises face in obtaining information on technical regulations, standards and conformity assessment procedures applicable to their products in international markets.
Tanzania Bureau of Standards as the TBT National Enquiry Point for Tanzania
NEP handles information on technical regulations and standards adopted or proposed to be adopted and conformity assessment procedures adopted or proposed to be adopted. It uses the resources available in the library to answer enquiries from exporters and importers in Tanzania and abroad.
The Enquiry Point enables enterprises to find out the requirements for access to markets of WTO members so that they can make preparations to comply with these requirements. It also carries out the following:
a) Send notifications of proposed Tanzania’s technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures to WTO/TBT/SPS Secretariat through the Ministry responsible for Industry and Trade;
b) Responding to requests for information from WTO members regarding Tanzania national standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures;
c) Responding to requests for information from the business community in Tanzania on foreign standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures;
d) Responding to enquiries on technical regulations, standards and conformity assessment procedures; and
e) Receiving, compiling and disseminating notifications on TBT/SPS that are issued by WTO Secretariat to stakeholders in Tanzania.
The role of Business Enterprises in TBT Notification Procedures
The following are the roles of business enterprises in TBT Notification:
a) Scrutinize notifications disseminated by the TBT/SPS National Enquiry Point and identify notifications that affect their exports;
b) Inform the TBT/SPS National Enquiry Point to request for text of notified regulations;
Scrutinize and make comments on text of proposed regulations;
c) Advise the Government on issues which should be referred to WTO TBT/SPS Committee;
d) Advise the Government on issues regarding the implementation of the TBT /SPS Agreement;
e) Ensure active participation in meetings of the TBT/SPS Committee;
f) Ensure that their umbrella organizations remain active and practical and effective lines of communication exist within the umbrella associations to its members; and
g) Discuss issues regarding notifications during meetings of business associations and communicate their views to the Government.
For enquiries concerning TBT issues please contact through email address nep@tbs.go.tz or National TBT/SPS Committee at the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
