ABSTRACT
Technical barriers to trade are among the most common of nontariff barriers. The difficulties involved in distinguishing the illegitimate barriers from the legitimate have made standards a contentious issue. American firms certainly have found the transition to export more difficult because of the inconsistent international array of technical requirements. Most standards stem from nontrade concerns, and the difficulty lies in distinguishing the legitimate controls from the illegitimate. Such requirements usually stem from legitimate, nontrade concerns, yet frequently entail added costs, delays, and even exclusion from the market. A standards-related problem, and one even more intractable than testing and certification difficulties, lies in the technical operating requirements themselves. On a broader level, American exporters have encountered difficulties with standards based on design rather than performance. Design standards could be replaced by performance-related requirements on an international scale if transparent procedures for new and amended standards and certification systems became more prevalent.
