Government raises objection to EU battery and packaging material regulations at WTO

The government has begun responding to overseas technological regulations in the World Trade Organization (WTO) that are hindering Korean export companies.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's National Agency for Technology and Standards and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced on the 13th that they attended the 3rd WTO Trade Technical Barriers (TBT) Committee and conducted multilateral or bilateral negotiations.

At this meeting, the government raised specific trade issues (STC) regarding the European Union's (EU) battery regulation, delegated regulations for calculating recycled content, packaging and packaging material waste regulations, disposable plastic directives, and eco-design regulations.

STC refers to an agenda in which a WTO member formally raises an objection to the TBT Committee regarding the technical regulations of another member.

The government also filed an STC against China's Medical Device Supervision and Administration Regulations. In addition, he expressed his support for Indonesia's National Certification (SNI) regulations for audio and video products, conveying the concerns of the domestic industry.

In addition, through bilateral consultations, the government communicated industry concerns about technological regulations that may burden domestic export companies, such as the amendment to India's automobile producer liability regulations, and discussed ways to resolve them.

Kim Gyu-seong, director of the National Institute of Technology and Standards, said, "Recently, the number of countries around the world using technology regulations to protect and foster their own industries is increasing, which is putting a new burden on our export companies. The government will continue to make active efforts to resolve difficulties for our export companies caused by foreign technology regulations."