Technical regulations, certification and standards are playing increasingly important roles globally in improving product quality and productivity, enhancing consumer safety and environment protection as well as saving energy and natural resources.

However it is equally important to make sure that their development, both at domestic and international level, complies with WTO rules, in order to avoid unnecessary non-tariff barriers or burdens for companies to access markets. For example, redundant environmental or consumer safety technical requirements can imply repetitive or unnecessary costs for enterprises thus impairing their competitiveness.