---
kind: "section"
citation: "19 U.S.C. § 2576b"
title: "19"
title_heading: "Customs Duties"
number: "2576b"
heading: "Subpart definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/19/2576b"
units:
  - "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"
---

# §2576b. Subpart definitions


Notwithstanding [section 2571 of this title](/usc/19/2571.md), for purposes of this subpart—

- (1) **Approval procedure—** The term “[approval procedure](/usc/19/2575b.md?p=2)” means any registration, notification, or other mandatory administrative procedure for granting permission for a good or [service](#4) 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](#7) or [standard](#5) 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](/usc/19/2575b.md?p=2).
- (3) **Objective—** The term “objective” includes—
  - (A) safety,
  - (B) 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, including matters relating to quality and identifiability of goods or [services](#4), 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](#8).
- (5) **Standard—** The term “standard” means—
  - (A) characteristics for a good or a [service](#4),
  - (B) characteristics, rules, or guidelines for—
    - (i) processes or production methods relating to such good, or
    - (ii) operating methods relating to such [service](#4), 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](#4) 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](#5), [technical regulation](#7), or [conformity assessment procedure](#2).
- (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](#4) 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](#4) 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](#4) 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.

## Source credit

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