Addressing communication constraints: Canada’s experiences Canada’s National Authority and Enquiry Point Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada Geneva, Switzerland November 19, 2014 OUTLINE • Challenges of communicating with industry. • Benefits provided by alert notification systems • Case Study: Costa Rica • A Twinning Proposal • x 2 CHALLENGES • Difficult, even impossible to be sure to reach all those who may be interested by a new legislation. • What are the most efficient means to communicate with the industry? • How soon should we communicate with the industry? • How to ensure we get the cooperation of the industry? 3 BENEFITS OF AN ALERT NOTIFICATION SYSTEM • The industry contacts you. • The information is provided instantly and to those most concerned by the issue. • Allows you to provide a space for the industry to send comments and suggestions. • x 4 BENEFITS OF AN ALERT NOTIFICATION SYSTEM • Raises awareness at the industry level of the WTO process • Enables the domestic stakeholders, to better participate in and benefit from the WTO/Transparency Obligations • Faciliates internal coordination on trade matters critical to the Member. • x 5 CASE STUDY: COSTA RICA • Effort focused on assisting the Organo de Reglementación Técnica (ORT), the technical regulations unit (TRU) of the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Trade to, among other things: • Strengthen ORT’s capacity to provide clients with access to e-information on WTO notifications • Provide ORT and other stakeholders in Costa Rica an increased understanding, knowledge, and buy-in of the WTO/TBT obligations 6 CASE STUDY: COSTA RICA Process • Work Plan enumerated key activities undertaken by ORT and MEIC’s IT Department to increase ORT’s capacity to fulfill its obligations as the National Notification Authority. The plan was divided into two components: institutional (Enquiry Point) and technological (IT). Outcome • Knowledge transfer regarding the electronic dissemination of WTO notification • Launch of Costa Rica’s Alert Notification System 7 A TWINNING PROPOSAL • On September 2014, Canada proposed to the WTO to implement a partnering exercise to assist countries who have yet to present their implementation statement (pursuant to article 15.2 of the TBT Agreement). • The proposal was based on: • Voluntary adhesion • Knowledge sharing 8 Thank you Andrea Spencer (343)203-4260 [email protected] Jean Labrie (343)203-4254 [email protected] 9