Standards Bodies

The standards body, which often functions as the TBT National Enquiry Point, is responsible for standards formulation, dissemination, consumer protection and market surveillance.

For many small economies representation through a regional standards body such as ARSO or ACCSQ is usually beneficial to gain effective representation at the level of ISO technical committees. It must be a member of international standards setting bodies such as the International Standards Organization (ISO).

Metrology

Metrology needs can be considered under legal metrology, industrial calibration and scientific metrology. Usually, each country needs a National Metrology Institute primarily for legal metrology that houses primary physical standards for dimensions such as mass, volume, length etc. that should be traceable back to the standards established in the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM). Since legal metrology is important for health and safety inspections, they have high frequency and relatively low cost, therefore national provision is necessary.

On the other hand, ensuring precision manufacture and quality depends on the industrial calibration capabilities. Measuring tools, equipment and process machinery, as well as laboratory testing equipment need to be regularly calibrated to ensure that traceability to the international standards is maintained. Similarly, certification to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and laboratory accreditation to ISO 17025, requires traceable accuracy in measurement. In this context, the national metrology institute is a key actor in product quality assurance, precision manufacturing and technology development.

Conformity assessment

The independent assessment as to whether a product, a process or procedure conforms to a given standard (conformity assessment) can be critical in ensuring it’s to acceptability and access to markets. The conformity assessment can be made by the first party, such as the manufacturer of the product through a supplier’s declaration of conformity or through third-party certification or inspection, undertaken by an independent service provider. The service provider could be a government agency or a private company. Each organization must decide which type of conformity assessment is necessary for which purpose.

For product testing in sectors that are often critical for developing country exporters such as textiles, chemicals, microbiology, leather etc., the required services have a rather low cost, high frequency and high urgency, and therefore national provision even in the case of small economies is preferred. At the regional or international level, mutual recognition of the testing reports from different countries can be facilitated provided the products have been tested by a laboratory accredited by a Body that is signatory of ILAC.

System certification to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 22000 and other management standards have become a sine qua non of trade. While awareness of such standards is usually created by National Standards Bodies, the certification services are often provided by the private sector. That said, in developing countries standards bodies are sometimes found to engage in certification services to generate much needed income. System Certification to ISO 9000, the ISO 14000 series etc., could be a valuable adjunct to the income of an NSB, as well as promoting a quality culture.

Accreditation bodies

Accreditation bodies are responsible for accrediting laboratories, system certifiers (independent private or public sector certification bodies) andinspection bodies. After peer evaluation by the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) or the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) the NAB may qualify for Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) with these bodies, which ensure that the national conformity assessment infrastructure is internationally recognized.