Policy framework for standardisation
Web Posted - Thu Mar 02 2006
By Randy Howard
THE development of a Policy Framework for Standardisation is necessary for maintaining a high standard of goods and services in the context of an increasingly regulated international trading environment. This is the contention of participants at the Barbados National Standards Institute's (BNSI) seminar on Standardisation.
The aim of the seminar was to highlight various issues that need to be addressed, for the purpose of compiling a document to be used as the official Policy Framework for Standardisation.
The document would outline in general terms the overall strategy for the system of standards in Barbados. It would not seek to define every standard or practice in each area, for example, from food safety to financial services, but rather to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the different actors, both in government and the private sector, as well as their co-operative relationships.
This was indicated by Professor Robert House, a consultant working in conjunction with the Inter-American Development Bank, which is providing assistance to the local Institute to facilitate the development of a written policy on Standardisation, currently lacking in the Barbados system.
He stated that "standardisation is a co-operative endeavour", and that there needs to be guidance from government and the society as a whole, in order to determine the key priorities and goals.
The policy framework is expected to resolve or at least take a position on certain crosscutting issues, such as defining the role of metrology in serving key policy objectives and priorities; basic policies with respect to how the standardisation system operates, the structure of the BNSI, it's financing, its accountability, the role of public and stakeholder consultations in standardisation; and policies for the integration or co-ordination of standardisation activities with the international and regional trade policies of Barbados, inclusive of the export development programme.
The professor made the point, that standardisation is important to protecting the integrity of the domestic market in this time of globalisation, but its also important to Barbados international competitiveness, and to the opportunities for Barbados goods and services in global markets. It is on these bases, that the policies would be developed, where it would be decided whether international trade priorities, for example, would be routinely considered in determining the agenda or work plan for standardisation.
Other issues to be addressed would be how to decide between mandatory and voluntary standards.
However, Professor House emphasised the point, that a policy framework is not going to be so specific and detailed as to say whether each particular standard or standardisation priority should be expressed through a voluntary or mandatory standard, but might give some criteria or factors to consider in determining whether a particular standard should be mandatory or voluntary.
Finally, the professor reiterated that the main purpose of the policy framework is not necessarily to state detailed answers in any given case, but is to act as a general criteria or guideline for making choices with regard to standardisation, in light of international best practices.
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