Key Information: Early Warning
How can I get an “early warning” on changes to the requirements of my target market?
There are several ways to stay informed of proposed changes to the market access (e.g. technical regulations) and market acceptance (e.g. private sector standards)
requirements for the U.S.
Early Warning for Market Access Requirements
Market access includes governmental technical regulations and the conformity assessment measures that the government requires to demonstrate compliance with these
technical regulations. If a product fails to meet a market access requirement, it could be denied access to the U.S., or the manufacturer could be fined,
imprisoned or face other penalties imposed by the government.
An excellent resource for early warning on proposed changes to the market access requirements for the U.S. (as well as for those of other WTO members) are World Trade
Organization (WTO) Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) notifications. The WTO calls members to notify the WTO Secretariat of any proposed changes to federal- and
state-level technical regulations that could significantly affect trade prior to implementation. This can help exporters to quickly and efficiently stay apprised of changes.
U.S. entities can sign up for a free, customizable web-based service that informs users of proposed changes to technical regulations within their industry
sectors and countries of interest, provides full text of the proposed regulations, and offers a mechanism for users to submit comments in response to the proposed regulations.
The “Notify U.S.” service is provided by the National Center for Standards and Certification
Information (NCSCI), an organization within the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Sign up for Notify U.S. (U.S. interests only)
Sign up for WTO/TBT Notifications from the WTO (Free for everyone)
In the U.S., the Federal Register and
the Unified Agenda can provide even earlier access to information on proposed changes. The Federal Register is the official
daily publication for rules, proposed rules and notices of U.S. federal agencies and
organizations, as well as the executive orders and other presidential
documents. The Unified Agenda (also
known as the Semiannual Regulatory Agenda) is published twice a year (usually
in April and October) in the Federal Register
Early Warning for Market Acceptance Requirements
Market acceptance includes the private sector standards and conformity assessment measures that U.S. retailers and consumers expect
products to meet above and beyond market access requirements.
Failure to meet relevant private sector standards could result in lawsuits, product recalls, or the unwillingness of U.S. consumers and retailers to distribute,
buy, or sell a product or service.
The best resource for keeping track of changes to private sector standards and conformity assessment measures is Standards Action, a
free weekly ANSI publication that contains information on proposed and revised standards, draft American National Standards (ANS), governmental
and other foreign standards, and conformity assessment activities.
Another way to stay abreast of changes is to join a U.S. trade association.
Most trade associations in the U.S. welcome participation from around the world.
Back to Key Information
