                        TITLE 19--CUSTOMS DUTIES
 
                CHAPTER 13--TRADE AGREEMENTS ACT OF 1979
 
         SUBCHAPTER II--TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE (STANDARDS)
 
   Part E--Standards and Measures Under the North American Free Trade 
                                Agreement
 
                  subpart 2--standards-related measures
 
Sec. 2576b. Subpart definitions

    Notwithstanding section 2571 of this title, for purposes of this 
subpart--

                       (1) Approval procedure

        The term ``approval procedure'' means any registration, 
    notification, or other mandatory administrative procedure for 
    granting permission for a good or service to be produced, marketed, 
    or used for a stated purpose or under stated conditions.

                 (2) Conformity assessment procedure

        The term ``conformity assessment procedure'' means any procedure 
    used, directly or indirectly, to determine that a technical 
    regulation or standard is fulfilled, including sampling, testing, 
    inspection, evaluation, verification, monitoring, auditing, 
    assurance of conformity, accreditation, registration, or approval 
    used for such a purpose, but does not mean an approval procedure.

                            (3) Objective

        The term ``objective'' includes--
            (A) safety,
            (B) protection of human, animal, or plant life or health, 
        the environment or consumers, including matters relating to 
        quality and identifiability of goods or services, and
            (C) sustainable development,

    but does not include the protection of domestic production.

                             (4) Service

        The term ``service'' means a land transportation service or a 
    telecommunications service.

                            (5) Standard

        The term ``standard'' means--
            (A) characteristics for a good or a service,
            (B) characteristics, rules, or guidelines for--
                (i) processes or production methods relating to such 
            good, or
                (ii) operating methods relating to such service, and

            (C) provisions specifying terminology, symbols, packaging, 
        marking, or labelling for--
                (i) a good or its related process or production methods, 
            or
                (ii) a service or its related operating methods,

    for common and repeated use, including explanatory and other related 
    provisions set out in a document approved by a standardizing body, 
    with which compliance is not mandatory.

                    (6) Standards-related measure

        The term ``standards-related measure'' means a standard, 
    technical regulation, or conformity assessment procedure.

                      (7) Technical regulation

        The term ``technical regulation'' means--
            (A) characteristics or their related processes and 
        production methods for a good,
            (B) characteristics for a service or its related operating 
        methods, or
            (C) provisions specifying terminology, symbols, packaging, 
        marking, or labelling for--
                (i) a good or its related process or production method, 
            or
                (ii) a service or its related operating method,

    set out in a document, including applicable administrative, 
    explanatory, and other related provisions, with which compliance is 
    mandatory.

                   (8) Telecommunications service

        The term ``telecommunications service'' means a service provided 
    by means of the transmission and reception of signals by any 
    electromagnetic means, but does not mean the cable, broadcast, or 
    other electromagnetic distribution of radio or television 
    programming to the public generally.

(Pub. L. 96-39, title IV, Sec. 473, as added Pub. L. 103-182, title III, 
Sec. 351(a), Dec. 8, 1993, 107 Stat. 2120.)
