The National Standards

and Quality System

Gabriel GoddardGabriel Goddard

The World Bank

Tashkent, Uzbekistan

January 19, 2011

The Role of the National Quality Infrastructure in Uzbekistan’s Modernization Strategy

Outline

• Introduction to standards

• Developing standards to support industrial

modernization and innovation

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modernization and innovation

• Conformity assessment: What is the role

of government?

• Standards in the context of international

integration: What are today’s challenges?

An Introduction to

Standards

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Standards

An Introduction to

Standards

Types of Technical Standards: by Function

Information and

reference

standardsM10 x 1.5-6g-S

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Variety-

reducing

standards

Compatibility

and interface

standards

Minimum quality

and safety

standards

An Introduction to

Standards

Types of Technical Standards: by Author

National standards (e.g. BS)

Sponsored

standards

Formal standards: standards bodies Market standards: industry

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National standards (e.g. BS)

Regional

standards

(e.g. EN)

International

standards

(e.g. ISO)

standards

(e.g. Adobe ‘pdf’

file format)

Unsponsored

standards

(e.g. computer

keyboard

layout)

An Introduction to

Standards

Types of Technical Standards: by Enforceability

Global supply chains

(e.g. ISO/TS 16949 for

auto parts manufacturers)

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Mandatory

(e.g. technical

regulations, EU Old

Approach Directives)

Voluntary

(e.g. ISO14001)

An Introduction to

Standards

Benefits of standards

• Diffuse technology

• Allow for specialization and economies of scale

• Facilitate trade (especially shared standards)

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• Facilitate trade (especially shared standards)

• Diffuse market information

• Diffuse information on safety, health and environmental regulations

• Reduce transaction and search costs

• Allow to harness network externalities

• Increase competition by promoting interchangeability

The Standards

Development Process

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Development Process

The Standards

Development Process

National standards body/ies Technical

committees

Develops technical content

• At the national level:

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committees

-Votes on standards-Approves standards-Publishes standards

Public (consumers, industry, government, non-profits)

Coordinates standards program

Comments on drafts

Propose new standards

Submits drafts for public review

The Standards

Development Process

• At the international and regional level:

– International standards organizations:

• ISO, IEC, ITU

– Regional standards organizations:

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– Regional standards organizations:

• CEN, CENELEC for EU/EFTA

• EuroAsian Interstate Council for CIS

Globalization and

standards development

• Globalization will require faster and more

harmonized standards development

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The Conformity

Assessment

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Assessment

Framework

The Conformity

Assessment Framework

• Conformity Assessment

– What is it? It’s the systematic examination of the extent to which a product, process or service fulfils specified requirements

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– Carried out through certification, testing, inspection and calibration activities

– These are often conducted by an independent third-party

– Typically involve a number of competing private certification bodies or laboratories

The Conformity

Assessment Framework

• Effective accreditation is a pre-condition

for conformity assessment to work well– Accreditation refers to the formal recognition that conformity

assessment bodies are competent to carry out specific tasks

– Accreditation is done against a specific standard and is typically

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– Accreditation is done against a specific standard and is typically

sought on a voluntary basis

National accreditation body

Certification bodies, inspection bodies, calibration laboratories, testing laboratories

accreditation

Firms and other organizations

conformity assessment

The Conformity

Assessment Framework

• Metrology

– A National Metrology Institute

• Establishes the national

Measuring length with an

interferometer at the UK

National Physical Laboratory

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measurement system used to develop and diffuse measurement standards for basic units

• The Institute(s) operates in the “primary” calibration market, providing calibration services to independent calibration laboratories and other organizations

Source: UK NPL website

The Conformity

Assessment Framework

• The diffusion of measurement units, precision and accuracy in the economy

National metrology institute

Calibration laboratories

16National and international consumers, public health and safety, natural environment

Retailers, traders, students

Manufacturers, repairers, installers, researchers, universities

Calibration laboratories

Staying ahead in the

global certification race

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Top 10 Sectors with

ISO 9000 Certificates

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Role of government:

provision and funding

• No country has developed a well-functioning national quality infrastructure without government support

• Typically, extensive public funding for metrology and some funding for accreditation to international standards standards

• Some standardization bodies are self-financed, but this income is usually derived from activities other than standardization, such as certification

• Conformity assessment services can mostly be provided by private entities (e.g., inspection, testing, product certification, system certification, calibration, etc.)

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Shift in public funding

of NQI in EU and OECD

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Organization of the

NQI system

• Accreditation bodies need to be independent from other NQI institutions to be able to carry out objective and fair evaluations

• Accreditation, metrology, conformity assessment, and standardization bodies should not be and standardization bodies should not be involved in regulatory activities

• Metrology, accreditation, and standardization bodies should be mandated to respond to market needs and have active representation in international organizations

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Standards and

International

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International

Integration

Standards and

International Integration

National metrology institute

National standards body

National accreditation body

Regional and international standards & mutual recognition

Accreditation

Standards

Calibrations

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National accreditation body

• Testing labs• Calibration labs• Inspection bodies• Certification bodies

Firms

National consumers & the general public

Exports compliant with regional and global standards

Quality, compatibility, safety, health

recognition agreements

Conformity assessment

Standards

Challenges faced by

NQI systems today

• In a globalized world, the national quality infrastructure is a critical factor affecting the export competitiveness of companies and the investment climate

• Targeted reforms are needed to make the NQI system more effective and industry-friendly:

– Complete the transition away from mandatory standards to a – Complete the transition away from mandatory standards to a system with voluntary standards and technical regulations

– Reorganize the public NQI bodies to increase their independence, efficiency and funding

– Strengthen funding mechanisms to upgrade human resources, equipment and infrastructure

– Harmonize national standards with the standards of regional and international trade partners

– Join regional or international accreditation organizations, and participate in mutual recognition arrangements

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