National Laws, Regulations and Institutional Capabilities for Standards Development

1. National Laws, Regulations and Institutional Capabilities for Standards Development Spencer Henson University of Guelph

2. Overview • Background • Standards and development • Standards system • Standards development • Conformity assessment • Technical and administrative capacities • Private sector strategies • Enhancing capacities • Conclusions

3. Conclusions • Standardization capacity important • One size does not fit all……. • Roles in capacity-building • Effective capacity-building • High cost-high benefit

4. Background • Incidence of standards • Drivers of standardization • Role of standardization

5. Notifications of Technical Measures to GATT/WTO, 1981-2002

6. Notifications under SPS Agreement, 1995-2000

7. Background • Incidence of standards • Drivers of standardization • Role of standardization

8. Overview • Background • Standards and development • Standards system • Standards development • Conformity assessment • Technical and administrative capacities • Private sector strategies • Enhancing capacities • Conclusions

9. Standards and Development • Need for national standards infrastructure • Need to prioritise • Do have choices • Capacity-building strategies • Issues and needs highly context-specific

10. ‘Traditional’ Approach Key objectives: Weights & measures Health & safety Static structure Domestic focus Public sector activity Regulatory focus ‘New’ Approach Domestic & external focus Extended infrastructure Flexible & dynamic structure Public-private sector activity International recognition ‘Voluntary’ standards Approaches to Standardization

11. Standards and Development • Need for national standards infrastructure • Need to prioritise • Do have choices • Capacity-building strategies • Issues and needs highly context-specific

12. One Size Does Not Fit All! • Prevailing capacity • Industrialization • Economic diversity • Export markets • Domestic consumer demands • Nature of the country

13. Overview • Background • Standards and development • Standards system • Standards development • Conformity assessment • Technical and administrative capacities • Private sector strategies • Enhancing capacities • Conclusions

14. Standards System • All activities associated with standardization • Focus • Elements: • Regulations, rules & standards • Institutions • Technical, administrative & financial capacities

15. Standards System • Is a national standards body needed? • Forms of standards institutions • Operating principles • Role of standards institutions

16. Alternatives to a National Standards Body • Existing industrial and trade practices • Standards of others • Association with neighbouring country • Regional standardization • Existing organizations

17. Positioning of Standards Institutions (2000)

18. Operating Principles • Independence • Responsive to industry needs • Flexible • Stable • Strategic focus • International standardisation activities

19. Role of Standards Institutions • Establishing standards • Testing • Third party certification • Accreditation • Metrology • Standards information

20. Overview • Background • Standards and development • Standards system • Standards development • Conformity assessment • Technical and administrative capacities • Private sector strategies • Enhancing capacities • Conclusions

21. Standards Development Identifying standards needs and priorities Developing standards Decision-making Implementation and promotion Review

22. Identifying Standards Needs and Priorities • Processes • Interested parties • Factors in priority-setting • Decision-making

23. Processes of Needs Identification • Needs identified by national standards body • Structured consultation • Voluntary suggestions

24. Interested Parties • National/sub-national government • Manufacturers/suppliers/distributors • Professional institutions • Research institutions • Consumers • Regional standardization bodies

25. Factors in Priority-Setting • Objectives of the standard • Economic factors • Government requirements • Other standards • Capacity/resources

26. Standards Development Identifying standards needs and priorities Developing standards Decision-making Implementation and promotion Review

27. Implementation and Promotion • Actors • Functions • Revenue generation

28. Role of Stakeholders • Inclusion • Dissemination • Transparency • Facilitation

29. Overview • Background • Standards and development • Standards system • Standards development • Conformity assessment • Technical and administrative capacities • Private sector strategies • Enhancing capacities • Conclusions

30. Conformity Assessment • Assessment of conformity with standards • Close links with standardization process • Levels/forms of conformity assessment

32. Mutual Recognition • Recognition of conformity assessment procedures by another party • Key issue in world trade • Forms • Promoted by World Trade Organization

33. Inter-American Accreditation Council (IAAC) • Eliminating technical barriers to trade in FTAA • Support market in demand for MRAs • Equivalence in accreditation programs

34. Overview • Background • Standards and development • Standards system • Standards development • Conformity assessment • Technical and administrative capacities • Private sector strategies • Enhancing capacities • Conclusions

35. Technical and Administrative Capacities • Elements of capacity • Forms of capacity • Location

36. Elements of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Control Capacity

37. Technical and Administrative Capacities • Elements of capacity • Forms of capacity • Location

38. Forms of Capacity • Institutional structures/procedures • Physical infrastructure • Human capital • Sustainability

39. Management of Food Safety Controls in Kenyan Fish Sector • Location of Competent Authority • Restrictions on exports to the EU • Reformed structure • Impact on ability to address EU concerns

40. Technical and Administrative Capacities • Elements of capacity • Forms of capacity • Location

41. Food and Agricultural Inspection in India

42. Private Sector Capacity • Individual enterprises • Consortia • Commercial capacity • Professional societies • Educational establishments • Industry organizations

43. Overview • Background • Standards and development • Standards system • Standards development • Conformity assessment • Technical and administrative capacities • Private sector strategies • Enhancing capacities • Conclusions

44. Private Sector Strategies • Importance • Private standards-setting • Individual versus collective strategies • Strategic response

45. Private Sector Strategies Defensive Reactive Proactive Offensive

46. Overview • Background • Standards and development • Standards system • Standards development • Conformity assessment • Technical and administrative capacities • Private sector strategies • Enhancing capacities • Conclusions

47. Means to Enhance Standardization Capacity • Awareness and recognition • Physical infrastructure • Human capital • Institution-building

48. Building Standardization Capacity Government Institutions Private Sector Civil Society

49. ‘Innovative’ Approaches • Staff secondments • Mentoring • Twinning • Learning from one another • Regional capacity-building

50. CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) • Developed out of Caribbean Common Market Standards Council (CCMSC) • Operational in 2002 • Objectives