Technical Barriers To Trade Issues

With the economic globalization and trade liberalization developing, trade restrictions like tariff barrier, quota and license, are restricted by series of free trade agreements. As a result, their functions of protecting trade are weakened. Most developed countries now are trying to adopt technical barrier to trade more to protect their domestic merchandise, which will greatly influence the export trade of our country. This article mainly discusses the origin of technical barrier, its application and its effects on China.Firstly, the author introduces that technical standard as its main form originally shall treat all countries equally without discrimination. Only when the technical level is different, can technical standard become a barrier to protect domestic market. And technical barriers to trade came into being on the demand of economic development and the strengthening of people' protection consciousness. Since technology differences objectively exist in different countries, as the times require, technical barriers to trade emerges. It is obvious that developed countries have technology priority and they are apt to abuse technical standard as a barrier to developing countries.Secondly, the author suggests understanding and making use of some terms in the agreement on technical barriers to trade, like non-discrimination principle, terms in the transparent principle and some special and differential treatment given to developing countries, to protect our rational rights.Thirdly, though most of the technical barriers to trade in developed countries are reasonable, some are not. The unreasonable regulation will do great harm to our export trade. The author analyzes the negative effects, which includes export products decrease, cost increase, market entry harder.Fourthly, give some constructive suggestions to deal with technical barriers in developed countries so as to protect our economy. And the suggestions consist oflearning the advanced experience from developed countries, setting up technical standard system and developing corresponding guild organization.