Information on U.S. and Foreign Standards
Last Published: 11/1/2016

Member countries of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are required under the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement) to report to the WTO all proposed technical regulations that could affect trade with other Member countries.

Notify U.S. is a free, web-based e-mail subscription service that offers an opportunity to review and comment on proposed foreign technical regulations that can affect your access to international markets.

Agriculture-Specific Requirements and Certifications

Agricultural exports require a number of unique documents and certifications from both the U.S. and destination country. (Foreign Agricultural Service Regs, USDA)

European CE Marking Guidance

CE Marking and certification are required on most manufactured goods marketed in the European Union. Learn if your product requires a CE Marking and how to go about getting one.

China Compulsory Certification (CCC Mark)

CCC Marking and certification are required on many manufactured goods marketed in the China.

ISO Standards

The International Organization for Standardization (Organisation internationale de normalisation), widely known as ISO, is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations.

Packaging and Recycling Laws

Many countries have passed packaging and recycling laws that affect U.S. exporters. Please refer to the Country Commercial Guides' labeling and marking section for more information. U.S. exporters need to ensure that their packaging materials are compliant with their importer’s domestic regulations.

Onerous or Discriminatory Certifications, Standards and Regulations

Where particularly onerous or discriminatory barriers are imposed by a foreign government, a U.S. company may be able to obtain help from the U.S. Government to press for their removal. In these cases, the firm should:

Prepared by the International Trade Administration. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.