Ecommerce Product Safety – WTO starts to look at solutions.

At meetings of the Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) on 6 – 10 Nov, WTO members discussed challenges in ensuring online-purchased goods conform with safety and quality standards. Readers will recall that recently the US adopted the INFORM Consumers Act. WTO members also discussed how digital technologies and tools can improve regulatory practices. They raised concerns related to labelling of various products, such as alcoholic beverages, packaged food and personal computers, and the treatment of products potentially associated with deforestation, among other topics. Members adopted guidelines to enhance regulatory transparency. The guidelines are available here.