Standards code
Standards code also known as Code of Conduct for Preventing Technical Barriers to Trade (as revised draft from 1971) or Tokyo Round Standards Code (1979) [1]was document created to avoid discriminations and manipulations in:
- preparing standards of products,
- testing of products,
- certificating products via systems.
Another goal of the document was to encourage organisations in using open procedures of adopting the standards (for example United States the Administrative Procedure Act) and encourage them in harmonising international standards. Standard code document also established international procedures to secure organisations and support them is solving any complains[2]. The international standards was not officially defined, neither the whole document approved, however its establishments are part of international standards [3].
Recommendations how to prepare documentation in compliance with Standards code
Code of Conduct for Preventing Technical Barriers to Trade defined how harmonised, international documents should be prepared [4]:
- layout of the harmonising document in each country may differ,
- format of the harmonising document in each country may differ,
- document is prepared by international organisations (governmental or non-governmental).
Uruguay Round Negotiations
During Uruguay Round Negotiations the form of the Tokyo Round Standards Code was updated with Technical barriers to trade agreement(in 1995) and defined three levels of international standards[5]:
- Technical regulations for example fundamental geographical or climatic factors, technological issues, health conditions and risks,
- Standards of the Code of Good Practise with international recommendations, guides and standards,
- Conformity assessment procedures supporting non - discrimination practices for example in assessment of suppliers,
Author: Jolanta Lesnicka
Footnotes
| Standards code — recommended articles |
| Convention concerning International Carriage by Road — Standard — Customs house — Accreditation — Barriers to trade — Certificate of origin — Approved code of practice — International Organization for Standardization — Conditions of sale |
References
- Carney D., (2017), Up to standard? A critique of IPSO's Editors' Code of Practice and IMPRESS'Standards Code-Part I in Communications Law, 22(3), 77-88
- Education Council, (2017), Our code, our standards. Frequently asked questions, Education Council, New Zealand
- Gonzalez A., Hauenstein H., Ghikar G., Eilert P., (2014), Unlocking the Smart Grid through Building Codes and Communication Standards: Code Opportunities to Increase DR Transactions presented at ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
- Schroder H. Z., (2011), Harmonization, Equivalence and Mutual Recognition of Standards in WTO Law, Kluwer Law International B.V.
- Trahan R., Opgenorth J., (2010), CALGreen Building Standards Code: Marketing and Reality in "Real Estate Finance Journal, 26(3), 79"
- United States Office of the Federal Register, National Archives, (1979), Federal Register 44, Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration
