Presentation by:Jaindra Kumar

1
PACIFIC AREA STANDARDS CONGRESS (PASC XXV) 2th
7th April 2002 Nadi, Fiji
Existing Standards and Conformance Technical
Infrastructure in the South Pacific and
the Forum Secretariat Regional Trade Facilitation
Programme (RTFP)
Presentation by Jaindra Kumar Director, Trade
and Investment Division Pacific Islands Forum
Secretariat
2
Content of Presentation
3
REGIONAL TRADE FACILITATION PROGRAMME
Background

• Will embody Trade Facilitation work under Pacific
  Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER).
• PACER explicitly recognises importance of Trade
  Facilitation to reinforce benefits of trade
  liberalisation and assist global trade
  integration.
• Provision of technical and financial assistance
  from ANZ.
• Central components Customs, Quarantine/Bio-securi
  ty, Standards and Conformance.
• Standards and Conformance Framework necessary to
  coordinate the wealth of external assistance
  available.

4
REGIONAL TRADE FACILITATION PROGRAMME
Structure
5
REGIONAL TRADE FACILITATION PROGRAMME
Standards and Conformance
Work Programme Development

• Identify existing FIC Standards and Conformance
  capacity.
• Develop recommendations from above process.
• Consultation to prioritise / amend / co-ordinate
  above recommendations, to form RTFP Standards and
  Conformance Work Programme.
• Endorsement of Work Programme by Forum Trade
  Ministers in 2003.
• Begin implementation.

6
Significance of Standards and Conformance on
future trading position of the FICs cannot be
underestimated.
7

• Few standards on import or export quality.
• Strongest area Quarantine related (SPC major
  input).
• Adherence capacity also a problem.
• Some informal standards evolving over time.
• Fiji Govt has MOU with Standards Australia to
  develop Fiji Standards.
• PNG approx. 1,400 Standards but lack of
  awareness.

8

• Much is old, outdated, not enforced but some FICs
  ? new consumer protection legislation.
• Often heavy reliance on trust, e.g. products from
  ANZ.
• Growing awareness of health and safety issues ?
  driving new consumer protection legislation.
• Lack of legislative harmonisation among FICs.
• FIC Codex Membership increasing.

9

• Many FICs ? lack of capacity to assess
  conformance, modern equipment and / or trained
  staff to utilise it.
• Small industries face high but inevitable costs
  of conformance.
• Conformity expensive when requires overseas
  testing can greatly add to production costs,
  especially when on-going compliance assurance
  necessary, and time delays cause problem for
  fresh food exports.
• Heavy reliance on visual inspections.

10

• Specialised facilities rare and often research
  rather trade facilitation focus.
• National testing facilities work best when
  industry based (e.g. Vanuatu meat and dairy).
• Problem with laboratories not being accredited
  lack of confidence.
• USP Institute of Applied Sciences provides some
  services for FICs on fee for service basis, not
  yet accredited (May 2001).
• Retention of trained staff major problem.

11
EXISTING FIC STANDARDS AND CONFORMANCE
INFRASTRUCTURE
Mangement Systems

• Number of FIC processors established and received
  certification for their HACCP management systems.

Metrology - Trade Measurement

• General lack of understanding of basic
  principles.
• Problems with calibration and storage.
• Maintaining metrology staff also a problem.
• South Pacific Legal Metrology Forum (1994
  2001).

12
PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATIONS
General Framework

• FIC Perspective, utislise international
  standards, modified if necessary, wherever
  possible.
• Build National and Regional Capacity.
• Consider Sustainability.
• Encourage Harmonisation.
• Encourage Private Sector.
• Include Training and Education.
• Performance rather than prescriptive approach.
• Regional approach often more suitable than
  national one.

13
PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATIONS
Further Information
For details on the preliminary recommendations in
the following areas
Standards
Metrology - Trade Measurement
Compliance
Technical Regulations - Legislation
Mangement Systems
Accreditation
Please refer to the Forum Secretariat Background
Document, Existing Standards and Conformance
Technical Infrastructure in the South Pacific and
its Relation to the Forum Secretariat Regional
Trade Facilitation Programme (RTFP).
14

• PACIFIC ORGANISATIONS
• Pacific Area Standards (PASC)
• Asia-Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation
  (APLAC)
• Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (PAC)
• Asia-Pacific Legal Metrology Forum (APLMF)
• Asia-Pacific Metrology Programme (APMP)
• Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC)

• and
• International Organisations
• Regional Organisations
• National Organisations

15
CONCLUSION
Use of Resources
16
CONCLUSION
Feedback...
from Members, relevant technical bodies

• How to prioritise Standards and Conformance
  issues?
• What are the current initiatives in this area?
• What existing initiatives could the RTFP
  supplement?
• Feedback on the recommendations presented