In January 1996, the Philippines implemented the results of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiation, which included a revision of the Agreement on Technical barriers to Trade and the replacement of GATT with another institution known as the World Trade Organization as initiated by the leading signatories of GATT. Through dialogues and exchange of information on technical rules and regulations, standards and conformity assessment procedures, signatory countries seek transparency in their international trading transactions. The Code provides a mechanism that helps prevent the creation of technical barriers to trade.

The TBT Agreement aims to facilitate trade and reduce market fragmentations by removing impediments to trade resulting from the creation of unnecessary technical barriers to trade in the form of standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment procedure (testing, verification, inspection, certification, accreditation ).