The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, along with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, held the 10th Korea-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Trade Technical Barriers (TBT) Committee meeting via video conference on June 24. The meeting focused on addressing technical regulation issues and finding solutions for both countries.
The Korea-China FTA TBT Committee, which consists of senior officials from both nations, has convened annually since the FTA took effect in December 2015 to reduce trade technical barriers and facilitate exports.
During this meeting, South Korea expressed concerns from domestic industries regarding China's proposed revisions to national standards for portable auxiliary batteries and lithium-ion batteries used in electronic products. South Korea requested a reduction in regulatory burdens, noting that changes to China's technical standards could increase certification challenges for domestic exporters.
The meeting also confirmed the need to alleviate burdens related to the restrictions on harmful substances in electronic products. The final proposal from China has removed the expiration date for exceptions, which is expected to help companies predict the applicability and timing of harmful substance regulations.
Issues related to ginseng, cosmetics, and medical devices were also key topics of discussion. Both sides engaged in in-depth discussions on resolving challenges related to standards for Korean ginseng, regulations for cosmetics approval and registration, and medical device licensing. These products are closely tied to the Chinese consumer market, and complex standards and approval processes could hinder market access for South Korean companies.
Seo Young-jin, Director of the Technical Regulation Response Division at the Korea National Standards Institute, stated, "With the rise of protectionist measures and nationalistic policies, trade technical barriers are increasing globally. We will actively utilize government-to-government TBT consultation channels to address overseas technical regulation challenges."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.