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The Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade covers measures that might be non-tariff barriers to trade. These can include technical performance standards a product must meet to be imported or exported—for example, energy efficiency standards for washing machines. They may also include environmental, health, labour or other standards a product must meet during its lifecycle—for example, forest products must come from sustainably managed forests. The TBT Agreement dictates when such barriers may be allowed and what conditions must be met (notification, transparency in developing the rules, the use of international standards when appropriate, and so on). It applies fully to all government standards, including most levels of government. Non-governmental, non-mandatory standards are less strictly covered under what is called the Code of Good Practice. The differences in coverage are discussed in greater detail in the context of environmental standards and ecolabels, in section 5.4.
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