DCMAS NETWORK Network on Metrology Accreditation and

DCMAS NETWORK

Network on Metrology, Accreditation and Standardization for Developing Countries (DCMAS network) Building corresponding technical infrastructures to support sustainable development and trade in developing countries and countries in transition. DCMAS NETWORK 2

DCMAS network members (1/2) § Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM) www. bipm. org § International Accreditation Forum (IAF) www. iaf. nu § International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) www. iec. ch § International Laboratory Accreditation Co-operation (ILAC) www. ilac. org § International Organization for Standardization (ISO) www. iso. org DCMAS NETWORK 3

DCMAS network members (2/2) § International Trade Centre (ITC) www. intracen. org § Telecommunication Standardization Sector of ITU (ITU-T) www. itu. int § International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML) www. oiml. org § United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) www. unido. org § United Nations European Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) - Working Party on Regulatory Cooperation and Standardization Policies (W. P. 6) www. unece. org DCMAS NETWORK 4

Terms of reference § § § Exchange information and experience § Liaise with international and local agencies to introduce MAS programs in developing countries § Provide information, speakers and training material for seminars and events Provide a means of pooling expertise Work with, and support the objectives of, global organizations, such as the WTO as well as the UN system DCMAS NETWORK 5

Technical infrastructure To achieve sustainable development and to participate in International trade, countries need the following infrastructure § § § Metrology – to ensure traceability of measurements and calibration of measuring instruments International documentary standards – national position, international promotion, national implementation Conformity assessment – to assess goods and services to mandatory and voluntary requirements Accreditation & peer assessment – ensure that claims of conformity are credible and internationally recognized Training and Capacity Building on testing in developing countries Active participation in metrology, standardization and accreditation organizations is an essential element of capacity development. DCMAS NETWORK 6

Scientific and industrial metrology § National Metrology Institutes disseminate the International system of units (SI) by developing and maintaining national measurement standards appropriate to national needs. § Calibration against these national measurement standards provide the basis for § § § calibration services by accredited laboratories ; trade metrology ; conformity assessment. DCMAS NETWORK 7

International documentary standards § Voluntary international standards are important in sustainable development through the promotion of safety, quality and technical compatibility § International standardization organizations in DCMAS network: § § IEC – Electrotechnical standards and conformity assessment ITU-T – Information and communication technologies ISO – Nearly all other technical fields, service sectors, management systems and conformity assessment International standards: § § Assist in operation of domestic markets Increase competitiveness Excellent source of technology transfer Consumer and environmental protection role DCMAS NETWORK 8

Categories of standards Standards can be broadly sub-divided into three categories § Product standards § Process standards § Management system standards characteristics (quality, safety, etc. ) that goods should possess conditions under which products and services are to be produced, packaged or refined assist organizations to manage their operations. Help create framework to allow the organization to consistently achieve requirements set out in product and process standards DCMAS NETWORK 9

Conformity assessment procedures (testing, inspection and certification) offer assurance that products fulfill requirements specified in regulations and standards. They may § § § apply to a product, a service or a management system be 'first party' (supplier's declaration of conformity (SDo. C)) be 'third-party' (by a government or private company) Conformity assessment plays a critical role in sustainable development and trade and developing countries must decide § § what types of conformity assessment are needed and for what purposes whether conformity assessment is mandatory (regulations in specific sectors), or whether to rely on market determined conformity assessment requirements based on a risk assessment for a particular product or process, and on an understanding of the impact the associated costs and benefits will have on achieving sustainable development DCMAS NETWORK 10

Accreditation “third-party attestation related to a conformity assessment body conveying formal demonstration of its competence to carry out specific conformity assessment tasks” (ISO/IEC 17000) § Helps provide the necessary confidence among users of conformity assessment services (business and government) § Facilitates the growth of mutually recognized conformity assessment services throughout the world § Helps provide assurance that suppliers of tests and certificates are competent § Helps in overcoming trade barriers and in complying with the requirements of the WTO TBT Agreement DCMAS NETWORK 11

Importance of accreditation for developing countries "…verified compliance, for instance through accreditation, with relevant guides or recommendations issued by international standardizing bodies shall be taken into account as an indication of adequate technical competence. " Section 6. 1. 1 of the TBT Agreement § i. e. use of an accreditation system reduces the possibility of goods being denied access on the basis of inadequate conformity assessment For developing countries § § Lack of access to accreditation programmes prevents full integration into the world trading system The absence of an accreditation service is recognized as a development priority Developing an accreditation infrastructure is daunting if a government does not have the knowledge, experience or financial resources Systems have been successfully developed for some accreditation bodies in the Asia-Pacific, African, Eurasian and American regions DCMAS NETWORK 12

The integrated approach to development assistance § § Holistic consideration of a country's needs Plan of action is then agreed Assistance coordinated and synergies between parts of the technical infrastructure established, which strengthen the technical infrastructure, enabling it to contribute to the country's sustainable development and trade potential Each part of the technical infrastructure is interdependent § § Metrology and physical standards are basis for accurate measurements international documentary standards state their accepted performance these then are the basis for conformity assessment activities these activities can then be accredited, peer assessed or both DCMAS NETWORK 13

DCMAS network recommendations To provide for a composite approach to developing technical infrastructures, the DCMAS network recommends that assistance be based on § § § thorough needs assessment of the economy (including domestic, societal or import sectors, and trade and export sectors) understanding that there is no ready-made model for technical infrastructures (components, sophistication, delivery). Developing countries must decide on this and give ongoing political commitment careful consideration of the needs and assistance to ensure new technical infrastructures are sustainable and planned identifying the resources needed to sustain the infrastructure remembering that bi-lateral or regional options may give better economies of scale (but must take account of historical, political and cultural sensitivities) DCMAS NETWORK 14

Conclusions § The DCMAS network was established to bring together specialized organizations to promote and implement MAS activities at a global level § International specialist organizations with technical expertise and funding agencies must work together to strengthen and improve the effectiveness of technical infrastructure capacity building § Collaboration with partners is the key to efficient use of resources and to long term, sustainable development § Effective development assistance needs a coordinated approach, that is demand-driven and a country-owned process undertaken in partnership with aid agencies DCMAS NETWORK 15

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