F

irst and foremost, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the ACCSQ WG4 for their contributions to the work of the Working Group.  My special thanks go to Indonesia as the lead country for this issue, the 15th Issue of the ASEAN Standards and Quality Bulletin. I am sure this issue, as with other issues of the Bulletin, will be an effective medium to disseminate information on standardization activities in the ASEAN region. 

 

Owing to the fact that standards can be used both to facilitate and to restrict trade, the ASEAN Economic Minister (AEM) at their 24th Meeting held on 22-23 October 1992 in Manila approved the establishment of the ASEAN Consultative Committee for Standards and Quality (ACCSQ), aiming to facilitate the removal of Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) among ASEAN Member Countries to expand intra- and extra-ASEAN trade.

 

Four Working Groups were set up, one of which is the Information Working Group (WG4). The role of the ACCSQ WG4 is to supplement the ACCSQ in the dissemination of relevant information related to standards, regulations and conformity assessments of ASEAN.

 

An important part of elimination of technical barriers to trade is to make regulations transparent, and information regarding them accessible to all parties concerned. The following are some activities in terms of information exchange and transparency of standards and regulations in ASEAN under the responsibility of this Working Group:

 

1.       Directory of Contact Points for Standards and Technical Information

2.       ASEAN Standards and Conformance Homepages

3.       ASEAN Standards and Quality Bulletin

4.       Directory of Certified Products/Companies

5.       Directory of testing/calibration services

6.       Standards Catalogues

 

I am also pleased to announce that, this biannual issue of the Bulletin is published both in soft and hardcopies.  The soft copy can be accessed at http://www.aseansec.org/4951.htm.  This site also contains news and information on standards and conformity assessment, links to the ASEAN Standards Bodies and other information pertaining to the scope of ACCSQ WG4.

 

It is also my hope that the ASEAN Standards and Quality Bulletin evolves into a very useful resource on standardization activities in the ASEAN region.

 

Thank you.

 

Mdm Khalidah Mustafa

Chair

ACCSQ Information Working Group (WG 4)