---
kind: "section"
citation: "19 U.S.C. § 2531"
title: "19"
title_heading: "Customs Duties"
number: "2531"
heading: "Certain standards-related activities"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/19/2531"
units:
  - "Chapter 13 — Trade Agreements Act of 1979"
  - "Subchapter II — Technical Barriers to Trade (standards)"
  - "Part A — Obligations of the United States"
---

# §2531. Certain standards-related activities

- (a) **No bar to engaging in standards activity—** Nothing in this subchapter may be construed—
  - (1) to prohibit a Federal [agency](/usc/19/2578b.md?p=a-1) from engaging in activity related to [standards-related measures](/usc/19/2576b.md?p=6), including any such measure relating to safety, the protection of human, [animal](/usc/19/2575b.md?p=1), or [plant](/usc/19/2575b.md?p=5) life or health, the environment, or consumers; or
  - (2) to limit the authority of a Federal [agency](/usc/19/2578b.md?p=a-1) to determine the level it considers appropriate of safety or of protection of human, [animal](/usc/19/2575b.md?p=1), or [plant](/usc/19/2575b.md?p=5) life or health, the environment, or consumers.
- (b) **Unnecessary obstacles—** Nothing in this subchapter may be construed as prohibiting any private [person](/usc/19/1683.md?p=8), Federal [agency](/usc/19/2578b.md?p=a-1), or [State](/usc/19/2577.md?p=2) [agency](/usc/19/2578b.md?p=a-1) from engaging in [standards](/usc/19/2576b.md?p=5)-related activities that do not create unnecessary obstacles to the foreign commerce of the [United States](/usc/19/1683.md?p=9). No [standards](/usc/19/2576b.md?p=5)-related activity of any private [person](/usc/19/1683.md?p=8), Federal [agency](/usc/19/2578b.md?p=a-1), or [State](/usc/19/2577.md?p=2) [agency](/usc/19/2578b.md?p=a-1) shall be deemed to constitute an unnecessary obstacle to the foreign commerce of the [United States](/usc/19/1683.md?p=9) if the demonstrable purpose of the [standards](/usc/19/2576b.md?p=5)-related activity is to achieve a legitimate domestic [objective](/usc/19/2576b.md?p=3) including, but not limited to, the protection of legitimate health or safety, essential security, environmental, or consumer interests and if such activity does not operate to exclude imported products which fully meet the [objectives](/usc/19/2576b.md?p=3) of such activity.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 96–39, title IV, § 401, July 26, 1979, 93 Stat. 242; Pub. L. 103–465, title III, § 351(b), Dec. 8, 1994, 108 Stat. 4955.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–465 added subsec. (a), designated existing provisions as subsec. (b), and inserted subsec. (b) heading.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1994 Amendment

Pub. L. 103–465, title III, § 352, Dec. 8, 1994, 108 Stat. 4957, provided that: “This subtitle [subtitle F (§§ 351, 352) of title III of Pub. L. 103–465, amending this section and sections 2532, 2544, 2571, and 2573 of this title and repealing provisions set out below] and the amendments made by this subtitle take effect on the date on which the WTO Agreement enters into force with respect to the United States [Jan. 1, 1995].”

### Effective Date

Pub. L. 96–39, title IV, § 454, July 26, 1979, 93 Stat. 250, which provided that this subchapter was to take effect on Jan. 1, 1980, if the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade entered into force with respect to the United States by that date, was repealed by Pub. L. 103–465, title III, § 351(g), Dec. 8, 1994, 108 Stat. 4957.