TT has a mix of voluntary and compulsory standards, many of these standards are the result of consumer advocacy, often related to safety concerns and all reflect consensus from stakeholders. Of the 380 standards in use, 90 are compulsory and can be viewed here: http://ttstandards.ttbs.org.tt/. https://gottbs.com/ The TT Bureau of Standards (TTBS) is responsible for all standards related to products and services except those pertaining to food, drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices, for which the Chemistry, Food and Drug Division of the Ministry of Health sets standards. The TTBS uses the ISO 9000 series of standards and is a member of the International Organization for Standardization. The annual national standards work plan is not public. Parties that do not have a manufacturing presence in TT can participate in standards development work by the TTBS. TTBS is also a member of CARICOM Regional Organization for Standards and Quality (CROSQ), which is an organization mandated to develop regional standards for CARICOM.
Standards
The TTBS is the national standards body and operates under the guidance of the Ministry of Trade and Industry. The TTBS is also the national quality certifying body and the national laboratory accrediting body. The TTBS is a member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the Caribbean Common Market Standards Council (CCMSC), and the Pan American Standards Commission (COPANT). The TTBS adopts international standards and bases local standards on international standards where possible. Products meeting U.S. and U.K standards are generally accepted. Participation in national standards development is open to all interested parties.
Testing, Inspection and Certification
The TTBS implementation division monitors both imported and locally manufactured products for compliance with compulsory standards. Most products enter freely the market. The TTBS testing division has five laboratories equipped to service the industrial and manufacturing sectors. Testing services are provided in the following categories: electrical, chemical, fiber, and materials.
The products presently inspected in TT are:
- Garment and textiles
- Tires
- Electrical and electronic products
- Footwear
- Lead acid starter batteries for automobiles
- Bleach
Products are inspected at the three primary ports of entry:
- Point Lisas
- Port of Spain
- Piarco Airport
Publication of Technical Regulations
Contact Information
TT Bureau of Standards
1-2 Century Drive
Trincity Industrial Estate, Macoya
Tel: (868) 662-8827
Fax: (868) 663-4335
Email: ttbs@ttbs.org.tt
U.S. Embassy Port of Spain Economic and Commercial Unit
Valerie A. Laboy, Economic and Commercial Officer
Email: Poscommercial@state.gov
Standards Attache for Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean
Lauren Coughlin
U.S. Embassy Mexico City
Email: Lauren.Coughlin@trade.gov
Use ePing to review proposed technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures.
The ePing SPS&TBT platform (https://epingalert.org/), or “ePing”, provides access to notifications made by World Trade Organization (WTO) Members under the Agreements on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), distributed by the WTO from January 16, 1995 to present. ePing is available to all stakeholders free of charge and does not require registration unless the user wishes to receive customized e-mail alerts. Use it to browse notifications on past as well as new draft and updated product regulations, food safety and animal and plant health standards and regulations, find information on trade concerns discussed in the WTO SPS and TBT Committees, locate information on SPS/TBT Enquiry Points and notification authorities, and to follow and review current and past notifications concerning regulatory actions on products, packaging, labeling, food safety and animal and plant health measures in markets of interest.
Notify U.S., operated and maintained by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) since 2003 to distribute and provide access to notifications (and associated draft texts) made under the WTO TBT Agreement for US stakeholders, has reached its end of life. Per obligation under the TBT Agreement, each WTO Member operates a national TBT (and an SPS) Enquiry Point. National TBT Enquiry Points are authorized to accept comments and official communications from other national TBT Enquiry Points, which are NOT part of the WTO or the WTO Secretariat. All comment submissions from U.S. stakeholders, including businesses, trade associations, U.S domiciled standards development organizations and conformity assessment bodies, consumers, or U.S. government agencies on notifications to the WTO TBT Committee should be sent directly to the USA WTO TBT Inquiry Point. Refer to the comment guidance at https://tsapps.nist.gov/notifyus/data/guidance/guidance.cfm for further information. This guidance is provided to assist U.S. stakeholders in the preparation and submission of comments in response to notifications of proposed foreign technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures.