▲ The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's National Agency for Technology and Standards and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety attended the '2023 3rd World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (WTO TBT) Committee regular meeting held from the 7th to the 10th to discuss overseas issues that are obstacles to Korean companies' exports. We raised difficulties with the other country regarding technological regulations and discussed ways to cooperate.

[CosInKorea.com Reporter Kim Dae-hwan] The government attended the regular meeting of the World Trade Organization's Technical Barriers to Trade Committee and raised objections to regulations restricting the use of perfluorinated compounds (PFAS), which can affect semiconductor exports.

According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the National Agency for Technology and Standards (Director Jong-wook Jin) and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (Director Yoo-kyung Oh) held the 3rd World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (WTO TBT) Committee regular meeting in 2023 held from the 7th to the 10th. We attended to raise concerns with other countries about foreign technology regulations that are an obstacle to our company's exports and discuss ways to cooperate.

This committee reviewed 11 regulations related to industries such as batteries, mobile phones, cosmetics, and medical devices in 6 countries, including regulations restricting the use of perfluorinated compounds (PFAS), which are expected to affect our major export items such as automobiles and semiconductors. An objection was raised as a specific trade concern.

In addition, we conveyed the concerns of our industry and proposed strengthening cooperation through bilateral meetings with the United States and Japan in response to regulations on perfluorinated compounds (PFAS). In addition, we decided to conduct bilateral consultations with the European Union (EU) regarding safety standards for baby textile products and continue to cooperate to resolve trade technical barriers and related difficulties. The government plans to share the results of this negotiation with export companies and related ministries.

An official from the National Institute of Technology and Standards said, “For unresolved difficulties, we plan to prepare a response strategy with the industry, continuously raise objections through the WTO TBT Committee, and make various efforts, such as seeking solutions through dialogue and cooperation with overseas regulatory authorities.” He said, “Export companies that are experiencing difficulties due to foreign technology regulations should request government help through the ‘Overseas Technology Regulation Response Information System (KnowTBT).’”