The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on the 13th that the number of technical regulations reported by World Trade Organization (WTO) member countries in the first quarter of this year reached 1,334, the highest quarterly figure on record.
By country, the United States, European Union (EU), and China saw regulations increase by more than 20%. The United States reported 132 regulations, a 29.4% surge compared to the same period last year, ranking first. This increase was due to strengthened automobile safety regulations and energy efficiency regulations, along with limitations on the use of toxic substances in cosmetics manufacturing.
China recorded 79 regulations, a 23.4% increase from the previous year, as it revised and enacted safety regulations for household goods and electrical and electronic products, including fire safety equipment. The EU doubled its regulations in the fields of electrical and electronic products and automobile safety, rising to 28 regulations (100%) due to limitations on the use of certain harmful substances in electrical and electronic products and amendments to the approval testing procedures for passenger and commercial vehicles.
Kim Dae-ja, head of the National Standards Agency, said, "The export environment is worsening significantly due to the increase in technical regulations, which act as non-tariff barriers alongside U.S. tariffs," and noted, "We will actively resolve corporations' trade technical barriers (TBT) challenges by mobilizing all means, including bilateral and multilateral negotiations."