Pursuant to Article 15.2 of the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, the Government of Israel
submits to the TBT Committee the details of the measures taken in respect of the implementation and administration of the Agreement.
1. The legal basis for the establishment of standards (voluntary and mandatory) in Israel is the Standards Law of 1953, amended in January 1998 and January 2000.
According to the amendment of 1988, the goals of the law were redefined to ensure the following:
1. public health
2. public safety
3. environmental protection
4. protection of consumers by providing them with information if the standard is the only source of such information
5. compatibility and interchangeability
According to the additional amendment of January 2000 , when establishing a standard, the Standard Institute of Israel will, in general, adopt international standards in use in developed countries.
When different standards exist in various developed countries, the Standards Institute of Israel may establish a standard by choosing one of the alternatives that exist.
In special circumstances, when due to unique conditions in Israel, the Standard Institute of Israel may change some standards, while explaining the reasons for the changes and deviations.
2. Israeli standards are prepared by the Standards Institute of Israel, through technical committees involving all sectors of the economy. Each technical committee is comprised of representatives of manufacturers, consumers, government ministries, the Chamber of Commerce and other interested parties. Consultation on work undertaken in the technical committes is made by sending the draft for review to all members of appropriate central and technical committees. Israeli standards declared by the Standard Inistitute are voluntary.
Publication is made by delivering the final version to the members of the relevant committees involved, including central and technical committees, and to several interested institutes.
In addition, information on all publications are available on the website of the Standard Institute of Israel - www.sii.org.il
3. The Minister of Industry and Trade has the authority to proclaim a standard as official (mandatory) under circumstances pursuant to the Standards Law as m entioned in Article 1 above. The Commissioner of Standardization has the authority to hold public consultations concerning the intended change in the status of the standard. The interested parties have 28 days to send written responses to the Commissioner of Standardization. This period may be extended upon request of one or more of the interested parties.
When questions, comments or reservations are raised, the Commissioner of Standardization invites all the relevant parties to discuss the matter, after which a decision is taken regarding the proclamation of the standard as official.
4. The enquiry points notified under Article 10 of the Agreement are as follows:
TBT notifications :
Commmissioner of Standardization
Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor
Mazeh st. 76
Tel-Aviv 65789
Israel
Tel: 972-3-7101587
Fax: 972-3-7101585
Email: bernadette@moital.gov.il
All other topics :
Director, International Agreement Division
Foreign Trade Administration
Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor
Bank Israel Str. 5
Tel: 972-2-6662679
5. Government Ministries, such as the Ministries of Health, Communications and Agriculture also prepare technical regulations within their scope of their authority. Depending on the type of product, enforcement of a technical regulation or a mandatory standard is under the authority of the Ministry of Industry and Trade or under the authority of an other relevant Ministry.
Questions regarding technical regulations can also be addressed to Commissioner of Standardization.