2. Each Party shall encourage standardizing bodies in its territory to cooperate with the standardizing bodies in the territories of the other Parties in their participation, as appropriate, in standardizing activities, such as through membership in international standardizing bodies.

3. The Committee shall:

(a) meet on request of any Party and, unless the Parties otherwise agree, at least once each year; and

(b) report annually to the Commission on the implementation of this Chapter.

4. The Committee may, as it considers appropriate, establish and determine the scope and mandate of subcommittees or working groups, comprising representatives of each Party. Each subcommittee or working group may:

(a) as it considers necessary or desirable, include or consult with
(i) representatives of non-governmental bodies, including standardizing bodies,

(ii) scientists, and

(iii) technical experts; and

(b) determine its work program, taking into account relevant international activities.

5. Further to paragraph 4, the Committee shall establish:

(a) the following subcommittees
(i) Land Transportation Standards Subcommittee, in accordance with Annex 913.5.a-1,

(ii) Telecommunications Standards Subcommittee, in accordance with Annex 913.5.a-2,

(iii) Automotive Standards Council, in accordance with Annex 913.5.a-3, and

(iv) Subcommittee on Labelling of Textile and Apparel Goods, in accordance with Annex 913.5.a-4; and

(b) such other subcommittees or working groups as it considers appropriate to address any topic, including:

(i) identification and nomenclature for goods subject to standards-related measures,

(ii) quality and identity standards and technical regulations,

(iii) packaging, labelling and presentation of consumer information, including languages, measurement systems, ingredients, sizes, terminology, symbols and related matters,

(iv) product approval and post-market surveillance programs,

(v) principles for the accreditation and recognition of conformity assessment bodies, procedures and systems,

(vi) development and implementation of a uniform chemical hazard classification and communication system,

(vii) enforcement programs, including training and inspections by regulatory, analytical and enforcement personnel,

(viii) promotion and implementation of good laboratory practices,

(ix) promotion and implementation of good manufacturing practices,

(x) criteria for assessment of potential environmental hazards of goods,

(xi) methodologies for assessment of risk,

(xii) guidelines for testing of chemicals, including industrial and agricultural chemicals, pharmaceuticals and biologicals,

(xiii) methods by which consumer protection, including matters relating to consumer redress, can be facilitated, and

(xiv) extension of the application of this Chapter to other services.

6. Each Party shall, on request of another Party, take such reasonable measures as may be available to it to provide for the participation in the activities of the Committee, where and as appropriate, of representatives of state or provincial governments.

7. A Party requesting technical advice, information or assistance pursuant to Article 911 shall notify the Committee which shall facilitate any such request.

make compatible means bring different standards-related measures of the same scope approved by different standardizing bodies to a level such that they are either identical, equivalent or have the effect of permitting goods or services to be used in place of one another or fulfill the same purpose;

services means land transportation services and telecommunications services;

standard means a document, approved by a recognized body, that provides, for common and repeated use, rules, guidelines or characteristics for goods or related processes and production methods, or for services or related operating methods, with which compliance is not mandatory. It may also include or deal exclusively with terminology, symbols, packaging, marking or labelling requirements as they apply to a good, process, or production or operating method;

standardizing body means a body having recognized activities in standardization;

standards-related measure means a standard, technical regulation or conformity assessment procedure;

technical regulation means a document which lays down goods characteristics or their related processes and production methods, or services characteristics or their related operating methods, including the applicable administrative provisions, with which compliance is mandatory. It may also include or deal exclusively with terminology, symbols, packaging, marking or labelling requirements as they apply to a good, process, or production or operating method; and

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.

2. Except as they are otherwise defined in this Agreement, other terms in this Chapter shall be interpreted in accordance with their ordinary meaning in context and in the light of the objectives of this Agreement, and where appropriate by reference to the terms presented in the sixth edition of the ISO/IEC Guide 2: 1991, General Terms and Their Definitions Concerning Standardization and Related Activities.

3. The Subcommittee may address other related standards-related measures as it considers appropriate.

In developing its work program, the Council may address other related matters, including emissions from on-road and non-road mobile sources.

6. Each Party shall take such reasonable measures as may be available to it to promote the objectives of this Annex with respect to standards-related measures that are maintained by state and provincial government authorities and private sector organizations. The Council shall make every effort to assist these entities with such activities, especially the identification of priorities and the establishment of work schedules.