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DECISION ONPROPOSED UNDERSTANDING
ONWTO-ISO STANDARDS INFORMATION SYSTEM
Ministers decide torecommend thattheSecretariat oftheWorld Trade Organization reach
anunderstanding withtheInternational Organization forStandardization ("ISO") toestablish an
information system under which:
1. ISONET members shalltransmit totheISO/IEC Information Centre inGeneva the
notifications referred toinparagraphs CandJoftheCode ofGood Practice forthe
Preparation, Adoption andApplication ofStandards inAnnex 3totheAgreement on
Technical Barriers toTrade, inthemanner indicated there;
2. thefollowing (alpha)numeric classification systems shall beused inthework
programmes referred toinparagraph J:
(a) astandards classification system which would allow standardizing bodies to
giveforeachstandard mentioned inthework programme an(alpha)numeric
indication ofthesubject matter;
(b) astage codesystem which would allow standardizing bodies togiveforeach
standard mentioned inthework programme an(alpha)numeric indication of
thestage ofdevelopment ofthestandard; forthispurpose, atleastfivestages
ofdevelopment should bedistinguished: (1)thestage atwhich thedecision
todevelop astandard hasbeentaken, buttechnical work hasnotyetbegun;
(2)thestage atwhich technical work hasbegun, buttheperiod forthe
submission ofcomments hasnotyetstarted; (3)thestage atwhich theperiod
forthesubmission ofcomments hasstarted, buthasnotyetbeencompleted;
(4)thestage atwhich theperiod forthesubmission ofcomments hasbeen
completed, butthestandard hasnotyetbeenadopted; and(5)thestage at
which thestandard hasbeenadopted;
(c) anidentification system covering allinternational standards which would allow
standardizing bodies togive foreach standard mentioned inthework
programme an(alpha)numeric indication oftheinternational standard(s) used
asabasis;
3. theISO/IEC Information Centre shallpromptly convey totheSecretariat copies of
anynotifications referred toinparagraph CoftheCode ofGood Practice;
4. theISO/IEC Information Centre shallregularly publish theinformation received in
thenotifications made toitunder paragraphs CandJoftheCode ofGood Practice;
thispublication, forwhich areasonable feemaybecharged, shall beavailable to
ISONET members andthrough theSecretariat totheMembers oftheWTO.