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 I |
PROVISIONS ON
STANDARDS AND TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE
IN SUBREGIONAL TRADE AND INTEGRATION ARRANGEMENTS
|
I. DEFINITIONS
A. Standard
WTO |
Annex I:
Document approved by a recognized body, that provides, for common
and repeated use, rules, guidelines or characteristics for
products or related processes and production methods, with which
compliance is not mandatory. It may also include or deal
exclusively with terminology, symbols, packaging, marking or
labeling requirements as they apply to a product, process or
production method. |
NAFTA |
Article
915: A document, approved by a recognized body, that provides,
for common and repeated use, rules, guidelines or characteristics
for goods or related processes and production methods, or for
services or related operating methods, with which compliance is
not mandatory, It may also include or deal exclusively with
terminology, symbols, packaging, marking or labeling requirements
as they apply to a good, process, or production or operating
method. |
Andean
Community |
Annex II: A
document, established by consent and approved by a recognized
body, that provides for common and repeated use, rules, directives
or characteristics of activities or their results, with the end of
guaranteeing an optimum order within the given context.
Note: Standards
should be based on the consolidated results of science, technology
and experience in order to obtain optimum benefits for the
community. Standards are of voluntary application. (Decision 376) |
CACM |
|
Group of
Three |
Article
14-01: A document approved by a recognized standardization
body that provides, for a common and repeated use, rules,
guidelines or characteristics for goods or related processes and
production methods, whose observance is not mandatory. It may also
include or deal exclusively with terminology, symbols, packaging,
marking or labeling requirements as they apply to a good, service,
process or related production method. |
MERCOSUR |
Resolution
GMC No 152/96: Item 3.2 |
ALADI 1 |
Article 22.-
For the purposes of the present Agreement, the definitions
established in the World Trade Organization on Technical Barriers
to Trade shall apply. |
CARICOM 2 |
|
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B. Technical
Regulation
WTO |
Annex I: Document
which lays down product characteristics or their related processes
and production methods, including the applicable administrative
provisions, with which compliance is mandatory. It may also include
or deal exclusively with terminology, symbols, packaging, marking or
labeling requirements as they apply to a product, process or
production method. |
NAFTA |
Article 915: A
document which lays down goods characteristics or their related
processes and production methods, or services characteristics or
their related operating methods, including the applicable
administrative provisions, with which compliance is mandatory. It
may also include or deal exclusively with terminology, symbols,
packaging, marking or labeling requirements as they apply to a good,
process, or production or operating method. |
Andean
Community |
Annex II: A
regulation that contains technical requirements or makes reference
to standards or technical specifications or codes of practice or
integrates them into its content. (Decision 376)
(Regulation: A
document that contains rules of obligatory character and is approved
by a competent authority.) |
CACM |
|
Group of
Three |
Article 14-01: A
document which establishes characteristics of goods or their related
processes and production methods, or characteristics of services or
their related operating methods, including applicable administrative
provisions, with which compliance is mandatory. It may also include
or deal exclusively with terminology, symbols, packaging, marking or
labeling requirements of a good, service, process or related
production method. |
MERCOSUR |
Resolution GMC No.
152/96: Item 3.3. |
ALADI |
See Article 22. (Supra) |
CARICOM |
|
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C. Conformity
Assessment Procedures
WTO |
Annex I: Any
procedure used, directly or indirectly, to determine that relevant
requirements in technical regulations or standards are fulfilled. |
NAFTA |
Article 915: Any
procedure used, directly or indirectly, to determine that a
technical regulation or standard is fulfilled, including sampling,
testing, inspection, evaluation, verification, monitoring, auditing,
assurance of conformity, accreditation, registration or approval
used for such a purpose, but does not mean an approval procedure.
(Approval Procedure: Any
registration, notification or other mandatory administrative
procedure for granting permission for a good or service to be
produced, marketed or used for a stated purpose or under stated
conditions.) |
Andean
Community |
Annex II: Any
procedure used, directly or indirectly, to determine that relevant
requirements in technical regulations or standards are fulfilled.
Note: Conformity assessment
procedures comprise, among others, those of sampling, testing and
inspection; evaluation, verification and assurance of conformity,
registration, accreditation and approval, in separate form or in
distinct combinations. (Decision 376) |
CACM |
|
Group of
Three |
Article 14-01: Any
procedure utilized, directly or indirectly, to determine that the
relevant requirements established by standards or technical
regulations have been fulfilled, including sampling, testing,
inspection, evaluation, verification, assurance of conformity,
accreditation, certification, registration or approval, used for
those purposes, but does not mean an approval procedure. (Approval
Procedure: A registration, notification, or any other mandatory
administrative process for obtaining a permit so that a good or
service may be marketed used for stated purposes under established
conditions.) |
MERCOSUR |
|
ALADI |
See Article 22 (supra). |
CARICOM |
|
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D. Standards-Related
Measure
WTO |
|
NAFTA |
Article 915: A
standard, technical regulation or conformity assessment procedure. |
Andean
Community |
|
CACM |
|
Group of
Three |
Article 14-01:
Standards, technical regulations or conformity assessment
procedures. |
MERCOSUR |
|
ALADI |
See Article 22. |
CARICOM |
|
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I. POLICY OBJECTIVES
A. Standards
WTO |
Article 4.1:
Members shall ensure that their central government standardizing
bodies accept and comply with the Code of Good Practice for the
Preparation, Adoption and Application of Standards in Annex 3 to
this Agreement. They shall take such reasonable measures as may be
available to them to ensure that local government and
non-governmental standardizing bodies of which they or one or more
bodies within their territories are members, accept and comply with
this Code of Good Practice. In addition, Members shall not take
measures which have the effect of , directly or indirectly,
requiring or encouraging such standardizing bodies to act in a
manner inconsistent with the Code of Good Practice. The obligations
of Members with respect to compliance of standardizing bodies with
the provisions of the Code of Good Practice shall apply irrespective
of whether or not a standardizing body has accepted the Code of Good
Practice.
Article 4.2:
Standardizing bodies that have accepted and are complying with the
Code of Good Practice shall be acknowledged by the Members as
complying with the principles of this Agreement. |
NAFTA |
Article 906.2:
Without reducing the level of safety or of protection of human,
animal or plant life or health, the environment or consumers,
without prejudice to the rights of any Party under this Chapter, and
taking into account international standardization activities, the
Parties shall, to the greatest extent practicable, make compatible
their respective standards-related measures, so as to facilitate
trade in a good or service between the Parties.
Article 906.3:
Further to Articles 902 and 905, a Party shall, on request of
another Party, seek, through appropriate measures, to promote the
compatibility of a specific standard or conformity assessment
procedure that is maintained in its territory with the standards or
conformity assessment procedures maintained in the territory of the
other Party. |
Andean
Community |
Article 10: The
Member Countries shall harmonize, in gradual form, existing national
standards in each country or shall adopt those that they consider to
be of subregional interest. The result of this process shall give
place to Andean standards that shall be communicated by the
Committee to the Board for its authorization. (Decision 376) |
CACM |
Harmonization: Article
VII (Protocol of Guatemala) |
Group of
Three |
Article 14-07.3:
At the request of a party, the other Parties shall adopt reasonable
measures, within their capabilities, to promote the compatibility of
specific standards-related measures that exist in its territory with
the standards-related measures in the territory of the other
Parties, taking into account international standardization
activities. |
MERCOSUR |
|
ALADI |
Article 6. The
signatory countries will take such steps as are needed to notify the
General Secretariat of the standardizing bodies that may accept the
Code of Good Practice for the Preparation, Adoption and Application
of Standards (Annex III to the WTO TBT Agreement). The
signatory countries shall make every effort to promote the process
of harmonization and technical standards based, preferably, on
international standards that exist or are about to be adopted.
Article 7. In efforts to
harmonize their standards, the signatory countries undertake to
encourage, to the extent possible, the use of works performed in the
region, with priority on the harmonization of those standards that
are likely to have the greatest impact on intra-regional trade. |
CARICOM |
|
CHILE &
MERCOSUR |
Chapter X
Article 27: The
Member Parties agreed on the importance of establishing a
coordinated agenda and criteria in order to make compatible their
standards and technical regulations. |
BOLIVIA
& MERCOSUR |
Chapter X
Article 23: The
Parties shall not adopt, maintain or apply standardization measures,
conformity evaluation procedures, metrological provisions, standards
or sanitary, phytosanitary or environmental measures, which create
unnecessary obstacles to trade.
Article 25: The
Parties, when they esteem necessary, will establish a coordinated
agenda and criteria in order to make compatible their standards,
technical regulations, sanitary and phytosanitary measures and other
related measures. |
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B. Technical
Regulations
WTO |
Article 2.6: With
a view to harmonizing technical regulations on as wide a basis as
possible, Members shall play a full part, within the limits of
their resources, in the preparation by appropriate international
standardizing bodies of international
standards for products for which they either have adopted, or expect
to adopt, technical regulations.
Article 2.7:
Members shall give positive consideration to accepting as
equivalent technical regulations of other Members, even if these
regulations differ from their own, provided they are satisfied that
these regulations adequately fulfil the objectives of their own
regulations. |
NAFTA |
Article 906.2
includes a directive to make compatible technical regulations (see
'standards' above).
Article 906.4:
Each importing Party shall treat a technical regulation adopted or
maintained by an exporting Party as equivalent to its own where the
exporting Party, in cooperation with the importing Party,
demonstrates to the satisfaction of the importing Party that its
technical regulation adequately fulfills the importing Party's
legitimate objectives.
Article 906.5:
The importing Party shall provide to the exporting Party, on
request, its reasons in writing for not treating a technical
regulation as equivalent under 906.4. |
Andean
Community |
Article 25: Member
Countries shall gradually harmonize existing technical regulations
in each Member Country. The Andean technical regulations that result
from this harmonization shall be communicated by the Committee to
the Board for its authorization. (Decision 376)
Article 26:
Member Countries may maintain, elaborate or apply technical
regulations in areas of security, protection of life, human, animal
and plant health, and protection of the environment. These shall be
defined as a function of the properties of use and application of
the products and services to which references are made.
Additionally, the Member Countries may elaborate technical
regulations based on the design and descriptive characteristics of
the measures to which they are found to be related to in use and
application.
Such being the case, the technical
regulations should specify the products to which references are
made, indicating their tariff classification, requirements,
procedures and the national bodies charged with overseeing their
compliance. (Decision 376) |
CACM |
Harmonization: Article
VII (Protocol of Guatemala) |
Group of
Three |
Article 14-07.2:
Without reducing the level of safety or of protection of human,
animal or plant life or health, the environment or consumers,
without prejudice to the rights of any Party under this Chapter, and
taking into account international standardization activities, the
Parties shall make compatible, to the greatest extent possible,
their respective technical regulations and conformity assessment
procedures.
Article 14-07.4:
Each party shall accept a technical regulation that is adopted by
another Party as equivalent to its own when, in cooperation with the
importing party, the exporting Party accredits to the satisfaction
of the other that its technical regulation adequately fulfills the
importing Party's legitimate objectives, and being appropriate shall
review it.
Article 14-07.5:
At the request of the exporting Party, the importing Party shall
provide its reasons for not treating a technical regulation as
equivalent under paragraph 4. |
MERCOSUR |
Resolution GMC 61/97:
Negotiating Parties of Working Subgroup 3. Technical Regulations.
GENERAL TASK.
Elimination of technical barriers to trade to facilitate the free
circulation of goods and regional integration between the States
parties.
GUIDELINES
To harmonize the technical
regulations identified as barriers to trade flows within Mercosur.
To make compatible national
conformity assessment Systems, Structures, and Activities, adjusting
their procedures and ensuring mutual recognition in the region.
To promote the integration of the
national Systems and Structures of metrology, ensuring forms of
cooperation and complementarity of actions.
To define the relationship between
Working Subgroup (WSG) 3 and the Mercosur Standardization Committee.
To propose procedures for organizing
information relating to Technical Regulations, Technical Standards,
and conformity assessment, in order to permit the desired
transparency in the notification process within Mercosur and
internationally. |
ALADI |
Article 3. The
signatory countries agree to make concrete efforts to achieve
harmonization of the technical regulations that may affect trade
without however reducing the levels of protection for human, animal,
and plant life and health, the environment, safety, and the
consumer.
The technical regulations adopted by
the countries shall be adjusted, basically, to the aspects mentioned
above relating to human, animal, and plant life and health, safety,
and consumer and environmental protection.
Article 4.
In their efforts to harmonize their technical regulations, the
signatory countries undertake to use, to the extent possible, the
works performed in the region, with priority on the harmonization of
those technical regulations that may constitute unnecessary
technical barriers to intra-regional trade.
Article 5.
In adopting or harmonizing technical regulations, the signatory
countries shall take into account, in ensuring their compatibility,
corresponding international technical regulations that exist or are
about to be adopted, except where there may be specific reasons such
as climate or geography or infrastructure or technological problems
or constraints, that may justify a different approach. |
CARICOM |
|
CHILE &
MERCOSUR |
Article 27: The
Member Parties agreed on the importance of establishing a
coordinated agenda and criteria in order to make compatible their
standards and technical regulations. |
BOLIVIA
& MERCOSUR |
Article 23: The
Parties shall not adopt, maintain or apply standardization measures,
conformity evaluation procedures, metrological provisions, standards
or sanitary, phytosanitary or environmental measures, which create
unnecessary obstacles to trade.
Article 25: The
Parties, when they esteem necessary, will establish a coordinated
agenda and criteria in order to make compatible their standards,
technical regulations, sanitary and phytosanitary measures and other
related measures. |
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C. Conformity Assessment
Procedures
WTO |
Article 6.1:
Without prejudice to the provisions of paragraphs 3 and 4, Members
shall ensure, whenever possible, that results of conformity
assessment procedures in other Members are accepted, even when
those procedures differ from their own, provided they are satisfied
that those procedures offer an assurance of conformity with
applicable technical regulations or standards equivalent to their
own procedures. It is recognized that prior consultations may be
necessary in order to arrive at a mutually satisfactory
understanding regarding, in particular:
- adequate and enduring technical
competence of the relevant conformity assessment bodies in the
exporting Member, so that confidence in the continued
reliability of their conformity assessment results can exist; in
this regard, verified compliance, for instance through
accreditation, with relevant guides or recommendations issued by
international standardizing bodies shall be taken into account
as an indication of adequate technical competence; and
- limitation of the acceptance of
conformity assessment results to those produced by designated
bodies in the exporting Member.
Article 6.3:
Members are encouraged, at the request of other Members, to be
willing to enter into negotiations for the conclusion of agreements
for the mutual recognition of results of each other's conformity
assessment procedures. Members may require that such
agreements fulfil the criteria of paragraph 1 and give mutual
satisfaction regarding their potential for facilitating trade in the
products concerned. |
NAFTA |
Article 906.2
includes conformity assessment procedures in its directive to make
compatible standards-related measures (see 'standards' above).
Article 906.3
also includes conformity assessment procedures (see 'standards'
above).
Article 906.6:
Each Party shall, wherever possible, accept the results of a
conformity assessment procedure conducted in the territory of
another Party, provided that it is satisfied that the procedure
offers an assurance, equivalent to that provided by a procedure it
conducts or a procedure conducted in its territory the results of
which it accepts, that the relevant good or service complies with
the applicable technical regulation or standard adopted or
maintained in the Party's territory.
Article 908.1:
The Parties shall, further to Article 906 and recognizing the
existence of substantial differences in the structure, organization
and operation of conformity assessment procedures in their
respective territories, make compatible those procedures to the
greatest extent practicable.
Article 908.2:
Recognizing that it should be to the mutual advantage of the Parties
concerned and except as set out in Annex 908.2, each Party shall
accredit, approve, license or otherwise recognize conformity
assessment bodies in the territory of another Party on terms no less
favorable than those accorded to conformity assessment procedures in
its territory.
Article 908.3:
Each Party shall, with respect to its conformity assessment
procedures:
- not adopt or maintain any such
procedure that is stricter, nor apply the procedure more
strictly, than necessary to give it confidence that a good or a
service conforms with an applicable technical regulation or
standard, taking into account the risks that non-conformity
would create;
- initiate and complete the
procedure as expeditiously as possible;
- in accordance with Article 904(3),
undertake processing of applications in non-discriminatory
order;
- publish the normal processing
period for each such procedure or communicate the anticipated
processing period to an applicant on request;
- ensure that the competent body
- on receipt of an application,
promptly examines the completeness of the documentation and
informs the applicant in a precise and complete manner of
any deficiency;
- transmits to the applicant as
soon as possible the results of the conformity assessment
procedure in a form that is precise and complete so that the
applicant may take any necessary corrective action;
- where the application is
deficient, proceeds as far as practicable with the procedure
where the applicant so requests; and
- informs the applicant, on
request, of the status of the application and the reasons
for any delay;
- limit the information the
applicant is required to supply to that necessary to conduct the
procedure and to determine appropriate fees;
- accord confidential or proprietary
information arising from, or supplied in connection with, the
conduct of the procedure for a good of another Party or for a
service provided by a person of another Party;
- the same treatment as that for
a good of the Party or a service provided by a person of the
Party; and
- in any event, treatment that
protects an applicant's legitimate commercial interests to
the extent provided under the Party's law;
- ensure that any fee it imposes for
conducting the procedure is no higher for a good of another
Party or a service provider of another Party than is equitable
in relation to any such fee imposed for its like goods or
service providers or for like goods or service providers of any
other country, taking into account communication, transportation
and other related costs;
- ensure that the location of
facilities at which a conformity assessment procedure is
conducted does not cause unnecessary inconvenience to an
applicant or its agent;
- limit the procedure, for a good or
service modified subsequent to a determination that the good or
service conforms to the applicable technical regulation or
standard, to that necessary to determine that the good or
service continues to conform to the technical regulation or
standard; and
- limit any requirement regarding
samples of a good to that which is reasonable, and ensure that
the selection of samples does not cause unnecessary
inconvenience to an applicant or its agent.
Article 908.4:
Each Party shall apply, with such modifications as may be necessary,
the relevant provisions of paragraph 3 to its approval procedures.
Article 908.5:
Each Party shall, on request of another Party, take such reasonable
measures as may be available to it to facilitate access in its
territory for conformity assessment activities. |
Andean
Community |
Article 15: The
National Accreditation Bodies of the Member Countries shall be
charged with authorizing all laboratories, certification bodies,
inspection entities and persons whose services will be subregionally
recognized. To guarantee the technical competence of the National
Accreditation Bodies, they shall comply with procedures established
by the Committee and communicated to the Board for their
authorization, which shall be elaborated according to
internationally accepted standards. (Decision 376)
Article 16:
The National Accreditation Bodies shall establish mechanisms of
supervision which guarantee the reliability of the results from the
accredited bodies. Those mechanisms must not have either the
objective or the effect of creating technical barriers to trade.
(Decision 376)
Article 19:
Member Countries and the Board of the Cartagena Agreement shall
identify the capabilities of existing tests and promote their
collaboration for the development of trade of products and services
and the improvement of industrial production. (Decision 376)
Article 21:
Member Countries shall use internationally recognized certification
systems as a means of facilitating commercial and information
processes and production to the consumer. In this sense, they shall
harmonize the criteria of application of these certification
systems, in such a way that guarantees recognition within the
subregion of certificates of conformity. (Decision 376)
Article 22: In order to
guarantee the technical competence in certification procedures and
trade disputes, the certification authorities of the National
Accreditation Bodies shall necessarily use accredited laboratories.
(Decision 376) |
CACM |
|
Group of
Three |
Article 14-07.2:
Without reducing the level of safety or of protection of human,
animal or plant life or health, the environment or consumers,
without prejudice to the rights of any Party under this Chapter, and
taking into account international standardization activities, the
Parties shall, to the greatest extent possible, make compatible
their respective technical regulations and conformity assessment
procedures.
Article 14-07.6:
Each Party shall, whenever possible, accept the results of a
conformity assessment procedure conducted in the territory of
another Party, provided that it is satisfied that the procedure
offers an assurance that the relevant good or service complies with
the applicable technical regulation or standard adopted or
maintained in the Party's territory.
Article 14-08.1:
The Parties recognize the advantage of achieving reciprocal
recognition of their conformity assessment systems, including
accreditation bodies, in order to facilitate trade in goods and
services between them and promise to work to achieve this objective.
Article 14-08.2:
In addition to that established in paragraph 14-08.1, and
recognizing the differences that exist in conformity assessment
procedures in their respective territories, the Parties shall make
compatible, to the greatest extent possible, their respective
conformity assessment systems and procedures, to the effect that
these be mutually reconcilable with that established in this
chapter.
Article 14-08.3:
For the mutual benefit and in reciprocal fashion, each Party shall
accredit, approve, grant licenses or recognize conformity assessment
bodies in the territory of another Party on terms no less favorable
than those accorded to conformity assessment bodies in its own
territory. Article 14-08.4: Each Party will give favorable
consideration to a request from another Party to negotiate mutual
recognition agreements of the results of the other Party's
conformity assessment procedures.
Article 14-08.5:
When required to carry out a conformity assessment procedure for a
standard or technical regulation, each Party shall be required to:
- not adopt, maintain, or apply
conformity assessment procedures stricter than necessary to be
certain that the good or service complies with an applicable
standard or technical regulation, taking into account the risks
that non-conformity would create;
- initiate and complete the
procedure as expeditiously as possible;
- establish a non-discriminatory
order for the processing of applications;
- publish the normal processing
period for each such procedure or communicate the anticipate
processing period to an applicant on request;
- ensure that the competent body
- upon receipt of the
application, promptly examine that the documentation is
complete and inform the applicant in a precise and complete
manner of any deficiency;
- as soon as possible transmit
to the applicant the results of the conformity assessment
procedure in a precise and complete manner such that the
applicant can carry out any corrective action;
- when the application is
deficient, proceed as far as possible when the applicant so
requests; and
- informs the applicant, upon
request, of the status of the application and the reasons
for any delay;
- limit the information the
applicant is required to supply to that necessary to conduct the
procedure and to determine the appropriate fees;
- accord to confidential information
arising from the procedure or that is supplied in connection
with the procedure
- the same treatment as that for
a good of the Party or a service provided by a person of the
Party, and
- in any case, treatment which
protects the legitimate commercial interests of the
applicant;
- ensure that any fee that is
charged for assessing the conformity of a good or service that
is imported from another Party is equivalent with respect to any
fee that is charged for assessment of conformity of an identical
or similar good or service of the Party that is conducting the
assessment, taking into consideration communication,
transportation and other related costs;
- ensure that the location of
facilities at which a conformity assessment procedure is
conducted does not cause unnecessary inconvenience to the
applicant or its agent;
- when possible, ensure that the
procedure is conducted in those facilities and is accorded, when
it is fitting, a mark of conformity;
- for a good or service that has
been modified subsequent to a determination that the good or
service conforms to the applicable technical regulations or
standards, limit the procedure to that necessary to determine
that the good or service continues to conform to the technical
regulations or standards; and
- limit to any requirement regarding
samples of a good to that which is reasonable, and ensure that
the selection of the samples does not cause unnecessary
inconvenience to the applicant or its agent.
Article 14-08.6:
The Parties shall apply, with modifications which may arise, the
provisions of 14-08.5 to their approval procedures. |
MERCOSUR |
Resolution GMC 61/97:
Conformity Assessment Committee:
To make progress towards making
conformity assessment systems and structures compatible. |
ALADI |
Article 8. The
signatory countries shall carry out such actions as are needed to
establish and strengthen conformity assessment systems and to make
viable the mutual recognition of conformity assessment systems, on
the basis of the recommendations made by international specialized
agencies such as the International Standardization Organization
(ISO) and other international forums at which accreditation bodies
meet such as the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the
International Laboratories for Accreditation on Cooperation (ILAC).
Article 9. (...)
The signatory countries shall give
accreditation to institutions authorized to issue results of
conformity assessment procedures, in accordance with the practices
established by specialized international bodies considered the most
appropriate for this purpose.
Article 10.
The signatory countries shall establish a harmonized system with
responsibility for determining the accuracy of certificates and
other documentation issued by authorized institutions and the
applicable penalties in cases of fraudulent certificates, so that
they may be adopted whenever two or more countries conclude an
agreement of mutual recognition in conformity assessment.
Article 11.
The signatory countries undertake to strengthen their conformity
assessment systems and structures and to promote, to the extent
possible, the use of existing laboratory capacity in the region. |
CARICOM |
|
CHILE &
MERCOSUR |
Article 27: (...)
The Parties also agree to undertake efforts in order to identify the
product areas in which the compatibility of inspection, control and
conformity evaluation procedures would be possible, and which would
permit the mutual recognition of the results of such procedures.
Progress in the area of Standards realized under MERCOSUR will be
taken into account in the Chile and MERCOSUR agreement. |
BOLIVIA
& MERCOSUR |
Article 25: (...)
The Parties also agree to undertake efforts in order to identify the
product areas in which the compatibility of inspection, control and
conformity evaluation procedures would be possible, and which would
permit the mutual recognition of the results of such procedures. |
Continue to: D. Mutual
Recognition
|