Standardisation, Quality assurance, Accreditation and Metrology (SQAM)

A formal framework, referred to as the SADC SQAM Programme, in which the cooperation amongst the national institutions in Standardisation, Quality Assurance, Accreditation and Metrology (SQAM) has been established in SADC. Member States have been building up their national SQAM infrastructures for trade development and consumer protection. A Regional Accreditation Body has been established as a subsidiary organisation of SADC.

The SQAM Programme is responsible for:

• Facilitating trade through harmonisation of standards based on international standards;
• Ensuring that the region’s approach to dealing with sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures and technical barrier to trade (TBT) issues is aligned with WTO norms and does not result in the creation of non-tariff barriers (NTBs);
• Facilitating industry competitiveness through ensuring the use of relevant standards and the production of quality goods in the region; and
• Ensuring the protection of consumers through use of regulations based on international best practices for quality, safety and conformity assessment.

SADC SQAM Cooperation Structures

The following are the SADC SQAM Structures as defined by the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Annex to the SADC Protocol on Trade, approved by the SADC Committee of Ministers of Trade on 12 July 2008, Lusaka, Zambia.

1. SADC Technical Regulation Liaison Committee (SADCTRLC)

   This committee’s objective is to promote and facilitate implementation of the SADC Technical Regulation Framework. The SADCTRLC consists of representatives of government departments of the Member States that have been given overall responsibility for compliance with the WTO TBT Agreement and obligations set forth in the SADC Protocol TBT Annex.

2. SADC Technical Barriers to Trade Stakeholders Committee (SADCTBTSC)

   This committee’s objective is to facilitate stakeholder’s participation in SADC TBT matters in both the voluntary and regulatory domain. Members of the committee are national delegations and regulators with an interest in matters contemplated in the SADC Protocol TBT Annex.

3. SADC Cooperation in Accreditation (SADCA)

   This committee’s objective is to facilitate the creation of a regional accreditation system which shall provide Member States with accreditation as a tool for the removal of technical barriers to trade in both the voluntary and regulatory areas. SADCA Members are government recognised accreditation bodies in Member States or any other institution nominated by the Minister responsible for industry and trade.

4. SADC Cooperation in Legal Metrology (SADCMEL)

   The SADC Cooperation in Legal Metrology (SADCMEL)’s objective is to facilitate the harmonisation of the national Legal Metrology regulations of the Member States and between SADC and other regional and international trading blocks. Members of SADCMEL are the Legal Metrology services / institutions of Member States; or where such a service / institution has not been established in a Member State, any other service / institution designated by its Minister responsible for industry and trade.

5. SADC Cooperation in Measurement Traceability (SADCMET)

   The SADC Cooperation in Measurement Traceability (SADCMET)’s objective is to coordinate metrology activities and services in the Region, in order to provide regional calibration and testing services, including regulatory agencies, with readily available traceability to the SI units of measurement, through legally defined and regionally and internationally recognised national measurement standards. Members of SADCMET are National Metrology Institutes (NMIs) of Member States. Where such an institute has not been established by a Member State, any other institution holding custody of the top-level measurement standards in that Member State or any other institution as designated by its Minister responsible for industry and trade.

6. SADC Cooperation in Standardisation (SADCSTAN)

   The SADC Cooperation in Standardisation (SADCSTAN)’s objective is to promote the coordination of standardisation activities and services in the Region, with the purpose of achieving harmonisation of standardisation in support of the objectives of the SADC Protocol on Trade. Members of SADCSTAN are the National Standards Bodies of Member States; or where a National Standards Body has not been established in a Member State, any other institution designated by its Minister responsible for industry and trade.

7. SADC SQAM Expert Group (SQAMEG)

   The SADC SQAM Expert Group (SQAMEG) is there to support the SADC Secretariat in an advisory capacity in dealing with SQAM matters not covered by the other SQAM Cooperation Structures, and/or those of an overlapping nature in both the voluntary and regulatory domain. The members of SQAMEG shall be the Chairpersons and Regional Coordinators of the other SQAM Cooperation Structures with the SADC Secretariat providing the Secretariat for the expert group.

SADC Sanitary and Photosanitary (SPS) Coordination Structure

The SPS Annex to the SADC Protocol on Trade provides a framework for cooperation in animal and plant health issues as well as food safety standards.

The following are the SADC SPS Structures as defined by the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Annex to the SADC Protocol on Trade, approved by the SADC Committee of Ministers of Trade on 12 July 2008, Lusaka, Zambia.

1. National Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures

   Each Member State is required to establish a National Committee on SPS measures and appoint a representative on the SADC SPS Coordinating Committee.

2. SADC SPS Coordinating Committee (SADC SPSCC)

   A SADC SPSCC was established in July 2011. Members of this committee are representatives from the National Committee on SPS for each Member State. The objective of the SPSCC is to promote transparency in the area of sanitary and phytosanitary measures.

Attachments:

SADC SPS ANNEX-Approved July 2008-ENGLISH.pdf [155322]
SADC TBT ANNEX-Approved July 2008-ENGLISH.pdf [137200]