APCI - EGM

1. APCI - EGM 6 – 8 December 2006 Midrand South Africa

2. Standards, Quality, Accreditation and Metrology (SQAM) as Keys to Regional Integration and Export Competitiveness Dr Oswald S CHINYAMAKOBVU SQAM Expert SADC Secretariat Gaborone Botswana

3. outline • What is SQAM • How does the system work • Benefits of quality • SQAM in trade • SQAM in manufacturing • SQAM in SADC • Conclusion

4. What is SQAM? • Standards, Quality assurance, Accreditation and Metrology (SQAM) • Testing is a component that is also important and so sometimes we use SQMT • SQAM/SQMT is the completeness of quality

5. Quality • For goods and services to be competitive in an open market, they must be fit for purpose and perform as expected…. • That is: they have to be of acceptable quality.

6. Quality versus aesthetics • Quality in everyday experience is subjective: generally associated with external appearances, aesthetics or feelings • In SQAM we attempt to define quality objectivelyby looking at the elements that contribute to product performance or service effectiveness.

7. Scientific basis of quality • Metrology • Standards • Quality assurance (testing, certification, inspection) • Accreditation

8. Metrology • The science of measurement is known as metrology. • We commonly measure time, distance, mass and temperature using Second, Metre, Kilogramme and Kelvin respectively (SI Units). • The world relies on accurate measurement to keep commerce moving

9. Metrology con’t • Measuring instruments can drift and make our measurements unreliable hence need calibration at regular intervals. • Uncertainty: some error is inevitable and so we always have an acceptance margin, the narrower the better. • Traceability ensures that measurements compare favourably to standards held at NMIs with higher accuracy.

10. Importance of Metrology • No successful economic activity is possible without measurement • Quality products and services depend on accurate measurement • Manufacturing is all about measurement: cars, foodstuffs, containers, cell phones, furniture, etc; justlook around you and appreciate the importance of measurement and accuracy….

11. Legal Metrology • For protection of consumers against unfair trading practices. • For health and safety. • For environmental protection. • Metrological errors can also impact the economy significantly.

12. Standards • Definition: a published document containing voluntary specifications and procedures designed to ensure that a product, material, service or method is fit for purpose

13. Hierarchy of Standards

14. Standards development • Stakeholder experts develop standards i.e. the users themselves • Process starts with WD -> CD -> FDIS • The principle of discussion and agreement is consensus.

15. Harmonization of standards • Harmonized standards make business more competitive by lowering costs and improving economies of scale because manufacturers do not need to make a different part for every market • Harmonized standards remove technical barriers to trade (TBTs) and improve market access because other countries use the same standard

16. Conformity Assessment • Voluntary or mandatory confirmation of compliance with standards through: # testing # calibration # certification # inspection • Can have 1st party, 2nd party or 3rd party verification of conformity

17. Accreditation • Accreditation is carried out to ensure that conformity assessment bodies are technically competent to carry out their tasks. • It is like a technical audit of a testing, calibration, certification or inspection services provider. • It looks at technical criteria such as validity of test results, capabilities of operators etc

18. Accreditation cont’d • Accreditation in the SQAM sense is not the same as accrediting of e.g. an educational body, diplomat or journalist. • By establishing the technical competence of conformity assessment of bodies, accreditation reduces risk so there is less chance of e.g. product failure • It reduces costs because you only have to test once and the results are accepted everywhere

19. Peer Review • And accreditation bodies quality assurance is through peer review mechanisms managed/coordinated through IAF and ILAC

20. The SADC SQAM Programme

21. The SADC SQAM Programme • MoU signed in 1996 in response to article 16 of trade protocol • Member states SQAM establishments at different levels of development • PTB Support for SQAM activities and capacity building (€1.5m) • RSA dti support (seconded SQAM expert) • SADC/EC Project (€14.2m)

22. SADCSTAN • Chaired by Zimbabwe (rotational) • Regional Coordinator is South Africa • Harmonized 63 standards so far based on ISO, IEC, Codex international standards • Private sector to suggest areas where they require standards to be harmonized • Working to reduce multiplicity of standards making bodies • Biggest challenges are: #implementation of harmonized standards by member states #holding technical committee meetings

23. SADCMEL • Chaired by Mozambique • Regional coordinator is RSA • Coordinating harmonization of legal metrology legislation based on OIML guidelines • Much work on packaging and type approvals at the moment

24. SADCMET • Chaired by Namibia • Regional coordinator is RSA • In SADC we are comparing measurement standards amongst NMIs to ensure measurement equivalence – this will support the expansion of trade. • SADCMET also coordinating proficiency testing schemes in water (chemical and microbiology) • Major challenge is movement of PT and IC samples as well as calibration equipment across regional borders.

25. SADCA • Chair – Tanzania • RC – RSA • Existing accreditation bodies: SANAS, MAURITAS • In the making: ZINAS, TANAS, Zambia? • Regional accreditation body – SADCAS about to be launched based in Botswana. To operate through NAFP in the member states.

26. SQAMEG • SQAMEG is the SQAM Expert Group comprised of appointed government representatives usually leaders of SQAM institutions. • SQAMEG provides strategic guidance to SQAM structures

27. TBT Annex to Trade Protocol • To result in regionally harmonized technical regulations based on international standards and compliant with WTO/TBT Agreement on Trade requirements

28. Summary • Look at Quality as a total picture • SQAM reduces risk and creates efficiency • SQAM can help create wealth but needs all stakeholders (business, government, regulators, politicians, consumers etc) • For as long as there is competition and consumers have a choice, quality is a must in business. • SQAM arms us effectively for the battle on the global market

29. Thank you.