Information Services Center

The Information Services Center represents the Library arm of the Bahamas Bureau of Standards and Quality. The ISC provides the following services to the public:

1. Sale of Standards to the Public
2. Research of ISO, ASTM Etc. standards
3. Research Center
4. WTO Enquiry Point

Bahamas Bureau of Standards & Quality – Enquiry Point

This is the official office in the Bahamas Bureau of Standards & Quality designated to deal with enquiries from other WTO members or non WTO-members and the public on subject such as technical barriers to trade or sanitary/phytosanitary measures. The E-Ping alert system is one of the main ways in which other WTO; Non WTO members and the public that are in business can subscribe to and receive email alerts regarding the above mentioned for their information.

How ePing Works

EPing is a publicly available subscription service and subscribers can choose daily or weekly e-mail alerts containing SPS and TBT notifications for the products, markets, regions or countries of interest to them. EPing is open to both registered and unregistered – or anonymous – users. While unregistered users are able to browse the ePing data base, only registered users can receive alerts and access the system’s more advanced features.

Using ePing, subscribers can search and share notifications, upload additional information, and participate in discussions through ePing’s Enquiry Point Management Tool, which enables domestic and international information sharing, according to the ePing user guide.¹⁰ In order to exchange information, each WTO member has to establish an Enquiry Point, which is a government agency that provides information and answers questions about SPS and TBT notifications, as well as related foreign trade regulations.

Once the stakeholders are aware of the changes that occur, they can take necessary action.¹¹ this includes everything from implementing new regulations to informing affected industries about the upcoming modifications.

With their new ePing alert system, the WTO, DESA and the ITC expect SMEs doing business internationally to be better able to track, consult and comment on countries’ constantly evolving foreign trade regulations. The organizations aim for ePing to help SMEs adapt faster to new and proposed international trade measures.

E-mail: tbtenquirypoint@bbsq.bs