SAARC countries National standards Bodies experts on Food and Agriculture met on April 02 – 03, 2012 in 3rd Technical Sectoral Technical Committee Meeting on Food and Agricultural Product to harmonize standards to achieve free trade in food commodities in South Asia by introducing a harmonized approach to standards.
International harmonization of standards, regulatory requirements, and procedures would facilitate international trade and lead to improved safety and quality of foods traded around the world. Accordingly, many organizations are working to harmonize specifications and regulations concerning product identity and quality as well as safety.
Mr. Pir Bukhsh Jamali, Director General, Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) in his opening address emphasized that PSQCA is keen to share experiences and to participate in the SARSO standardization activities for improving our institution as much as we can.
In this respect, we highly give importance to standardization, conformity assessment, accreditation and metrology that take place under South Asian Regional Standards Organization. He informed that in 3rd Technical Sectoral Technical Committee Meeting on Food and Agriculture to harmonize standards to achieve free trade in food commodities in South Asia by introducing a harmonized approach to standards.
The changing face of international trade has led to the requirement by manufacturers and processors to have single, globally acceptable technical standards and conformance tests. He said that development of South Asian Regional Standards Organization became a reality on 25th August, 2011 after hectic efforts of more than 8 years by the technical experts of National Standards Bodies of SAARC countries.
The Agreement on the Establishment of the South Asian Regional Standards Organization was signed by the Heads of State in the Fifteenth SAARC Summit (Colombo, 2-3 August 2008) and Member States ratified the Agreement on the Establishment of South Asian Regional Standards Organisation (SARSO) and entry in to force on 25th August, 2011. SARSO is a regional organization which aims to develop the technical and cultural cooperation amongst the member states.
The Governing Meeting approved the recommendation of the Second Meeting of Sectoral Technical Committee on Food and Agricultural Products (Dhaka, 12-13 December 2011) that all standards finalised by SARSO may have a distinct identity and may be known as SAARC Regional Standards (SARS) with a specific number like SARS 0001.
The first five numbers may be reserved for important symbols of SAARC and SARSO such as SAARC Flag, SAARC Logo, SARSO Mark etc. Health, safety, and environmental concerns differ between countries and hence national governments must accommodate them when committing to global standards.
The unharmonized national and regional standards increase the cost of doing business. The changing global economy demands that both government and business pay more attention to international standards-related issues and activities.
Foods and food ingredients are increasingly exported and imported worldwide and within SAARC countries, and differing quality specifications and regulatory systems around the world make commerce difficult. International harmonization of standards, regulatory requirements, and procedures would facilitate international trade and lead to improved safety and quality of foods traded around the world. Accordingly, many organizations are working to harmonize specifications and regulations concerning product identity and quality as well as safety.
The 3rd Sectoral Technical Committee Meeting is organized Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority, Ministry of Science and Technology and SAARC Secretariat. In this meeting participants from SAARC member countries i.e. Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and personnel from SAARC Secretariat are participated.
As per the agenda, the 3rd meeting discusses and finalizes the harmonization of standards i.e., Biscuits, Refined sugar, Vegetable Ghee, Black Tea, Instant Noodles, and Skimmed Milk. The meeting also discusses on National Standards/CODEX Standards for hygienic conditions and consideration of new proposal(s) for harmonization of standards in SAARC Region.
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