| ORGANIZATION OF
AMERICAN STATES - TRADE UNIT |
|
PROVISIONS ON STANDARDS AND CONFORMITY
ASSESSMENT IN TRADE AND INTEGRATION ARRANGEMENTS OF THE WESTERN
HEMISPHERE |
SG/TU/WG.STBT/DOC.6/96/Rev.3
9 February 1998
Original: English
Limited Distribution |
| Part
III |
|
RECENT
STANDARDS-RELATED ACTIVITY
WITHIN TRADE AND INTEGRATION ARRANGEMENTS
|
B. Participation
in the Inter-American Metrology System (SIM)
| NAFTA |
The participation of
NAFTA members in the SIM is coordinated through NORAMET. |
| Andean
Community |
The ANDEAN COMMUNITY
member countries form the ANDIMET Group within the SIM. Additionally
the Andean Network for Metrology has other related functions to the
SIM of special interest to the Andean Countries. |
| CACM |
|
| Group of
Three |
|
| MERCOSUR |
|
|
ALADI |
|
| CARICOM |
The countries participate
in the SIM as CARIMET. |
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IV. COOPERATION
AMONG STANDARDIZING BODIES
A. Cooperation Between Member Standardizing
Bodies
| NAFTA |
Cooperation has occurred
through the organization of the different standards subcommittees
described above. Other efforts include the following:
- The Sociedad Mexicana de Normalización y Certificación,
NORMEX, initiated in November 1995 an agreement with the
Canadian Standard Association to work together for the
recognition of marks that each body sponsors in the two
countries. They also have signed several Memorandums of
Understanding with the Business and Institutional Furniture
Manufacturers Association, BIFMA, in the United States;
- Currently the Organismo Nacional de Normalización y
Certificación de la Construcción y Edificación, ONNCCE, is
negotiating with the International Conference of Building
Officials of the United States;
- The Asociación Nacional de Normalización y Certificación,
ANCE, has long collaborated with Underwriters Laboratories (UL)
of the United States. Since 1993 there has been a co-investment
in an electrical testing laboratory that operates in Mexico
City, which also conducts activities of mutual cooperation in
standardization and certification, in addition to information
exchanges and training programs;
- The NYCE, Normalización Y Certificación Electrónica, has an
Agreement of Representation and Training with Underwriters
Laboratories Inc. (UL) of the United States;
- Since 1994 the Instituto Mexicano de Normalización y
Certificación A.C., IMNC, has signed various Mutual Recognition
Agreements in the areas of Quality Assurance Systems with Canada
(QMI, Quality Management Institute) and the United States (UL,
Underwriters Laboratories).
|
| Andean
Community |
|
| CACM |
|
| Group of
Three |
|
| MERCOSUR |
|
|
ALADI |
|
| CARICOM |
Members conduct regular
consultation and give frequent help. |
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B. Consolidation
of Enquiry Point Obligations under WTO
| NAFTA |
Each member communicates
directly to the WTO Secretariat and simultaneously with each other
on proposed standards-related measures. |
| Andean
Community |
The Andean System is
creating the Center of Information and Registration for all
activities that are related to the application of standards and
technical regulations to conformity assessment.
With respect to the Center, the objective is to harmonize all
conformity assessment procedures with a view to successfully
establishing a favorable base for carrying out mechanisms of
recognition between member countries. |
| CACM |
|
| Group of
Three |
There is no program for
cooperation to meet the enquiry point obligations under the WTO. |
| MERCOSUR |
|
|
ALADI |
|
| CARICOM |
The more advanced bodies
are informally acting in this matter. |
C. Technical
Cooperation
| NAFTA |
The Chapter 9 Committee
encourages technical cooperation in the standards related areas,
although its main focus is on management, policy and oversight.
Technical cooperation is undertaken through the groups legally
mandated under NAFTA as well as through other cooperative
undertakings. However, several of the subcommittees and technical
working groups, the TSF, the CCT, the NORAMET, etc., facilitate
technical cooperation on an "as needed" basis.
The Treaty also establishes in Article 911 that at the petition
of a Party, each of the Parties shall provide advice, information
and technical assistance to strengthen standards-related measures
and related topics, as well as information about its programs of
technical cooperation. In addition, they will promote cooperation
among the standardizing bodies, for example through membership in
international standardizing bodies. |
| Andean
Community |
With respect to technical
cooperation and exchanges of personnel or training, there are
various internship programs within the subregion that permit
training of technical personnel in the different areas of
standardization, accreditation, certification and metrology. |
| CACM |
|
| Group of
Three |
|
| MERCOSUR |
|
|
ALADI |
|
| CARICOM |
This is encouraged
between the more advanced and the smaller countries. |
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D. Exchanges
of Personnel or Training
| NAFTA |
In the area of Standards,
there is ongoing cooperation at all levels, private and government,
and involving a range of interests (health agencies; trade agencies;
standard bodies; certification bodies; accreditation bodies; etc.).
Neither the NAFTA Committee nor the United States has attempted to
compile comprehensive information on such exchanges (or cooperative
activities).
In the area of Metrology, the Secretaría de Comercio y Fomento
Industrial (SECOFI) along with the Centro Nacional de Metrología
(CENAM), has signed two cooperation agreements with laboratories in
the United States and Canada, which will include training exercises
in the area of metrology and visits from experts:
- Agreement between the National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST) of the United States and SECOFI and CENAM of
Mexico. Signed in January of 1992 in Mexico City, this agreement
provides the facilities for the exchange of technicians in the
different areas of Metrology;
- Agreement between the Institute for National Measurement
Standards-National Research Council, both of Canada, and CENAM
of Mexico. Signed in October of 1996 in Ottawa, Canada, this
agreement operates in a manner similar to the other. Exchange
programs for technical personnel in different areas of Metrology
such as time and frequency and thermometry have been held, in
addition to activities of physical metrology and chemical
metrology.
|
| Andean
Community |
With respect to technical
cooperation and exchanges of personnel or training, there are
various internship programs within the subregion that permit
training of technical personnel in the different areas of
standardization, accreditation, certification and metrology. |
| CACM |
|
| Group of
Three |
|
| MERCOSUR |
|
|
ALADI |
|
| CARICOM |
This is encouraged
between the more advanced and the smaller countries. |
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countries
