Search, View and Navigation
|
Factors which mitigate the challenges
While there are a number of significant hurdles to overcome in implementing an accreditation program in a developing country, there are other factors to be considered when evaluating its feasibility:
|
|
A developing country is not developing an accreditation program in a knowledge vacuum. A 'standards heritage' of know-how and resources is available from the international standardization community to assist them. Both the TBT and SPS Agreements encourage WTO members to assist other members in establishing standardization infrastructures—established accreditation bodies can provide technical assistance to developed countries to set up their own unique 'developing country accreditation systems.
|
|
The other major factor to be considered is that an accreditation system is essential if a country is to participate fruitfully in the global economy. With such a system in place, a developing country can take advantage of agreements that give access to developed country markets. An accreditation system is a vital component of the physical and institutional infrastructure which will enable developing countries to provide internationally recognized conformity assessment services to producers and potential exporters and to participate in international standards setting activities and organizations.
|
|
Various aid bodies and the international accreditation bodies may also provide developmental assistance. For example, UNIDO and other international bodies such as ISO, ILAC and IAF and their associated regional bodies, have implemented a number of training and awareness-creation projects on topics of relevance to accreditation.
|
|
Other aid agencies have also been active at both a single-country and a regional level to assist development and training in these areas.
|
|
Approaches used (or proposed) to satisfy developing country needs for access to accreditation bodies, and the development of these bodies, have included: |
|
 Back |