In this article, the authors illustrate the concept of path dependence with the case of a cold treatment device used during sea transit in the international apple trade to prevent the introduction or spread of quarantine pests into apples. importing countries. They show that this device is routinely required today and functions as a de facto standard despite the existence of potentially less expensive and equally effective alternative treatment modalities. In accordance with the theoretical framework mobilized, the authors indicate the negotiation costs that an exporting country would have to bear in order to have its trading partners accept a more efficient alternative mechanism,