GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jul 19, 2026
Non-Tariff Barriers
Non-tariff barriers (NTBs) are all government measures other than customs duties that impede or restrict cross-border trade in goods.
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Source: https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/tif_e/agrm9_e.htm
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Definition & Explanation
Non-tariff barriers (NTBs) are all government measures other than customs duties that impede or restrict cross-border trade in goods. They include import licences, quotas, technical standards and certification requirements, labelling and packaging rules, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and lengthy customs procedures. For freight forwarders and customs declarants, NTBs are often more burdensome in daily practice than the actual tariff: if a certificate or licence is missing, the shipment stops at the border — regardless of the duty rate. Free trade agreements therefore increasingly dismantle non-tariff hurdles alongside tariffs, for example through mutual recognition of standards and digital trade documents. The WTO monitors such measures to curb hidden protectionism. Not to be confused with customs tariffs: tariffs work through price, whereas non-tariff barriers work through regulations, procedures and quantitative restrictions.
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