UNIDO UPDATE TO THE TBT COMMITTEE

INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE UNITED NATIONS INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION (UNIDO)

This document contains information provided by UNIDO at the TBT Committee meeting of 13‑15 March 2024 under Agenda Item 6 (Update by Observers).[1]

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UNIDO is the specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes industrial development for poverty reduction, inclusive globalization and environmental sustainability. The mission of UNIDO is to promote and accelerate inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) in Member States. UNIDO's mandate is anchored in Sustainable Development Goal 9: "Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation".

UNIDO has been the largest multilateral player in quality infrastructure development and a preferred partner of many developing countries. For more than 40 years, UNIDO has been supporting partner countries to increase their competitiveness through quality and compliance with standards. UNIDO's approach to QI development is systemic and holistic, from building awareness to helping initiate, develop and strengthen a fit-for-purpose QI that runs efficiently and is cost-effective. UNIDO promotes good practice, capacity building and training, and fosters global cooperation in standardization, measurement and compliance along value chains.

UNIDO holds at the moment a portfolio of global, regional and national programmes of over USD 76 million for Africa, Asia, Latin America, etc. UNIDO key donors for Quality Infrastructure development are the EU, Germany, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the EIF and STDF.

In view of enhancing the capacity of developing countries to participate in global trade and facilitate the implementation of the multilateral agreements including the WTO TBT Agreement, UNIDO strengthens national and regional quality infrastructure (QI) systems by defining quality-related policies and good governance strategies, strengthening metrology, standardization and accreditation services, building conformity assessment capacities, enhancing the competitiveness of the private sector and promoting quality awareness.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

1  THE GLOBAL QUALITY AND STANDARDS PROGRAMME – SOUTH AFRICA (PHASE II)

The GQSP-South Africa Phase II project commenced on 1 June 2023 and will run until May 2027. The objective is to unlock the export potential of essential and vegetable oils produced in South Africa. This entails strengthening the quality and standards compliance capacity to facilitate market access for SMEs in these value chains for the oils destined for the cosmetic, food and health markets. This will be achieved by providing targeted interventions to:

·_        Strengthen the technical competence and sustainability of the National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) institutions and service providers to offer product quality conformity assessment services that are fit-for-purpose at affordable prices.

·_        Support SMEs to comply with international market requirements (standards and technical regulations) to access markets (local, regional and international).

·_        Promote a culture for quality by supporting SMEs and institutions to embed the need for quality at policy, institutional, enterprise and individual levels to build the reputation of the oils produced in South Africa.

Currently, with the development of a national standard SANS 2340:2023 for Sclerocarya birrea caffra (Marula) seed oil, two working groups are formulated to develop the profiles of Lippia essential oil and it will be further extended to Kalahari Melon seed oil. To strengthen the conformity assessment bodies, one test laboratory has been assessed for accreditation for two essential oil test methods and the other is receiving technical support in order to preparing for accreditation readiness.

In the meantime, the project has been supporting the industry to establish the typical bottling volumes once the bulk oil has been obtained from steam distillation or cold pressing. This is in order to assist SMEs with compliance with legal metrology labelling and prepackaging requirements in order to gain market access.

The project continues to support the Multi-Stakeholder Quality Forum (MSQF) comprising the national quality infrastructure institutions and the conformity assessment associations The Quality Forum South Africa (QFSA) website has been developed and is a collaboration of all the relevant stakeholders at a central point who have the supporting infrastructure and resources to ensure sustainability of quality goods and services. www.qualityforumsa.org

New initiatives will be developed to introduce new technologies including digitalization and support to the Government in the development of a national quality policy for South Africa.

2  THE WEST AFRICA COMPETITIVENESS AND QUALITY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT (WACQIP)

During the implementation of previous Quality programmes and in order to reduced technical Barriers to Trade, UNIDO supported ECOWAS Commission to setup the ECOWAS regional quality infrastructure (QI) which comprises the Community Council for Quality, the Regional Accreditation System (RAS) and the four Community Committees (The Community Committee for Standardization (TMC/ECOSHAM), The Community Committee for Conformity Assessment (ECOCONF), The Community Committee for Metrology (ECOMET), The Community Committee for Technical Regulation (ECOREG).

In the framework of the implementation of WACQIP, ECOWAS Commission with the support of UNIDO further strengthened this regional QI which led to the following achievements:

Development of harmonised standards and technical regulations

89 standards related to four regional value chains including textile and garment and Information and communication technologies (ICT) were validated by the TMC/ECOSHAM, while 14 draft technical regulations were validated by ECOREG.

Support to conformity assessment bodies

·_        4 harmonized inspection procedures for priority products and one guideline for their implementation were adopted by ECOCONF.

·_        6 harmonized administrative procedures were developed to support the implementation of the inspection procedures.

·_        25 forms linked to the harmonized inspection procedures will serve as working documents during inspection activities.

·_        An Inter-State regional control mechanism for mutual recognition of inspection certificates based on international standards was validated by ECOCONF.

·_        6 laboratories accredited by West Africa Accreditation System (SOAC-WAAS)

·_        59 test methods harmonised for 5 priority products by ECOCONF.

·_        Proficiency testing conducted for 21 laboratories.

·_        6 National certification bodies (NCBs) accredited by the West Africa Accreditation System (SOAC-WAAS)

·_        5 new NCBs were established in Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Liberia and Togo

·_        5 sectoral applications of ECOQMARK including barrier mask were developed

These achievements of WACQIP will contribute to the following impact:

·_        The Increasing of the competitiveness of products linked to the 3 regional value chains and facilitation of their access to regional and international markets;

·_        The developed standards will serve as a basis for Policy-makers to develop technical regulations at national and regional level to reduce technical barriers to trade, protect consumers and also contribute to the implementation of the Continental African Free Trade Area (CAFTA) and the free movement of goods in the region;

·_        The adopted technical regulations will contribute to the competitiveness of products, the protection of the health and safety of consumers and the protection of the environment in the ECOWAS region;

·_        The international recognition of test results, inspection certificates, competence of conformity assessment bodies carrying out tests and inspection on the products relating to the regional value chains

·_        The implementation of the ECOWAS regional mutual recognition mechanism and its implementation procedures at regional level will contribute to the free movement of goods, trade facilitation and furthermore to the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

3  SUPPORTING QUALITY AND REGULATORY INFRASTRUCTURE, VALUE CHAIN-SPECIFIC QUALITY INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES AND QUALITY CULTURE PROMOTION IN THE AFRICAN, CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC GROUP OF STATES (ACP)

UNIDO with funding from the European Union and the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) is implementing the project entitled "Supporting quality and regulatory infrastructure, value chain-specific quality infrastructure services and quality culture promotion in the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States". This project, which mainly aims to tackle technical barriers to trade faced by ACP countries, is implemented with a technical partner in each region, with the African Organization for Standardization (ARSO) representing Africa, the CARICOM Regional Organization for Standards & Quality (CROSQ) representing the Caribbean Community and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) representing the Pacific. 

In Africa, the Project is currently supporting the alignment of National Quality Policies with the Africa Quality Policy (AQP). In collaboration with ARSO, the project is providing technical support by developing standards for two value chains including Automotive as well as for eco-labelling and sustainable and resilient systems.

In the Caribbean, the Project is supporting the development of National Laboratory Policies and their alignment with the CARICOM Non-Medical Laboratory Policy, the revision of metrology legislation and the development of National Standards Strategies. Critical work has also commenced on the topic on Quality Promotions in the Caribbean, especially as it relates to understanding the impact of National Quality Award (NQA) Schemes.

In the Pacific, UNIDO launched the development of the Pacific Islands Quality Policy in November 2023 and is currently in the process of supporting the review of national metrology legislation. In order to support the work of the Pacific Quality Infrastructure (PQI) Initiative[2] in strengthening the regional analytical testing infrastructure, UNIDO is also supporting the formation of the Pacific Islands Testing Committee, the assessment of key regional laboratories and the provision of technical assistance to prepare them for international recognition. 

4  QUALITY STANDARDS AND COMPLIANCE PROGRAMME FOR THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA (QUALITAN)

The project is funded by the European Union (EU) and aims to widen market access for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by improving access to quality standards, reducing compliance costs, and enhancing consumer protection. This is achieved through the supply of effective, efficient, and internationally recognized conformity assessment services within the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) and reduce cost of compliance for MSMEs. QUALITAN is part of the larger EU-funded BEGIN (Business Environment, Growth, and Innovation) programme, which is promoting inclusive economic growth, employment, and innovation particularly among women and youth, and consumer protection.

The project aims to capacitate TBS's conformity assessment services to meet market and regulatory needs, to support MSMEs' compliance to quality standards, digital transformation, and improved project governance and outreach capacity. As a result, TBS will be able to contribute more effectively to the process of standards development, and related conformity assessment services, which will reduce the costs of compliance and doing business for MSMEs providing proof of compliance to market requirements. Tanzanian MSMEs will then have a wider access to markets, which, in the long-term, will contribute to sustainable economic development, job creation, social progress, and the protection of the environment in line with national, regional, and global priorities.

During the project implementation, 164 TBS laboratory staff were trained to widen the scope of accreditation and enhance synergies between conformity assessment bodies. Five Study tours were conducted for 25 technical laboratory staff to the National Metrological Institute of South Africa (NIMSA). The acquired capacity translated into improving the services of TBS testing laboratories and linked to the sophisticated laboratory equipment procured under QUALITAN. Simultaneously, 139 TBS laboratory staff were trained on a series of courses related to ISO17025 (assessor course); on proficiency testing (ISO17043; ISO13528) to enhance the accreditation scope and for accrediting of PT services at TBS. These capacity building activities are key milestones for the international recognition of the Tanzanian quality infrastructure.

24 TBS staff from the compliance and enforcement sections were trained in inspection procedures, using a risk-based approach, based on ISO17020, enabling TBS to proceed with accreditation of its inspection services. QUALITAN is actively engaged in transforming the NSB into a modern, and efficient regulatory body, through the development and implementation of business plans (2) for testing and calibration laboratories, and 101 Technical Committees on Standards Development. Digital transformation of TBS was achieved through incorporation of the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), web store software, and analytical tools to strengthen TBS' ICT and monitoring departments.

TBS ICT personnel visited the Ghana Standards Authority to gain knowledge and insights on the results of the digital maturity assessment, and the implementation of their digitalization strategy. The visit resulted in development of a methodology that assessed the digital maturity of TBS, and QUALITAN supported the development of the ICT Capacity Building Strategy and a data- driven digitalization strategy aligned to the national ICT strategy. Moreover, the TBS Director General, ICT Manager and Officer participated at UNIDO's Expert Group Meeting on Digital Transformation of National Standards Bodies (NSBs), where NSBs shared experiences to enhance the validation of a common digital transformation methodology.

QUALITAN is strengthening collaboration of the Small Industries Development Organization (SIDO) and TBS by embarking on a pivotal strategy to improve access to quality and safety standards and conformity assessment services for MSMEs. Through this collaboration, marketing by both TBS and SIDO in the private sector will better inform MSMEs on the importance of quality, safety, standards, and market requirements to improve their competitiveness and tap into more lucrative markets.

The project conducted training on digital marketing and online campaigns for five staff at the TBS Public Relations and Marketing Section, as well for thirteen journalists from the main national media outlets from across the country to augment the efforts of raising awareness on quality and standards, specifically targeting MSMEs. QUALITAN had an exhibit at the Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF) to raise awareness on quality and standards issues among the stakeholders, and the public with a focus on youth and women led MSMEs represented at the exhibitions and 173 MSMEs were engaged on procedures for quality and standards compliance.

5  SUPPORT TO QUALITY INFRASTRUCTURE IN ARMENIA

The project is funded by the European Union and implemented by UNIDO since January 2022. It aims to support Armenia in upgrading its metrology system, based on the needs of the public and private stakeholders for industrial development and trade competitiveness. Specifically, the project is supporting the National Body for Standardization and Metrology of Armenia (NBSM) in developing four calibration laboratories and the required calibration and measurement capabilities, and preparing them for international recognition, so as to sever the needs of the public and private sector in sustainable and inclusive industrial development and trade.

The project focuses on four results:

·_        Armenia's capacity to effectively participate in the international and regional metrology communities is strengthened,

·_        The institutional capacity (legal, regulatory, governance and leadership) of NBSM is further developed in line with international recommendations and best practice,

·_        NBSM calibration laboratories are prepared for international recognition, and

·_        Stakeholders have a greater understanding of the importance of metrology and are trained in critical aspects of metrology.

Since its launching in 2022, the project has made several milestones in a systematic manner:

·_        Followed by two workshops with the two international metrology organizations namely International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML) and International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM), a cost and benefit analysis was conducted to inform the decision making by the Government of Armenia on membership to the international metrology organizations.

·_        A detailed analysis was completed to assess the needs of nearly 100 public and private sector stakeholders for metrology services, followed by a development plan. Accordingly, required equipment was procured and are being delivered to NBSM for capacity building in line with relevant international standards such as ISO/IEC 17025 for testing and calibration laboratories.

·_        An in-depth analysis of the metrology legislative framework and related laws and sub-laws, based on which support to the Government in the amendment of the Law on Metrology are being provided following relevant international guidelines, recommendations and good practice.

·_        A review of the metrology governance system in Armenia was completed and recommendations for improvement were submitted to the Government of Armenia for consideration

·_        In the meantime, UNIDO has been assisting the Government of Armenia represented by the Ministry of Economy in assessing all components of the national quality infrastructure system (NQIS), namely standardization, metrology, accreditation, conformity assessment and market surveillance, and developing a systematic strategy that will guide the NQIS development in Armenia in the next 10 years.

For more details about the project, please visit the following webpage: https://open.unido.org/projects/AM/projects/210152.

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