Standardization and Certification ODA for 'New North and South' Countries... Responding to Technical Regulations

KATS Holds Export Companies Meeting on the 16th and Consults with Relevant Ministries of Importing Countries
Support Project for Dissemination of Standard Systems in Vietnam, Indonesia, and Uzbekistan
Resolving Technical Regulation Challenges for Our Export Companies

Lee Seung-woo, Director of the National Institute of Technology and Standards, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The government is implementing the 'Developing Countries Standard System Dissemination Support Project' targeting New Southern and New Northern countries. This is part of Official Development Assistance (ODA) to transfer Korea's standard and certification systems. The goal is to resolve export difficulties faced by Korean companies.

The National Institute of Technology and Standards under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy will hold export company meetings and consultations with relevant ministries of recipient countries?Vietnam, Indonesia, and Uzbekistan?at the JW Marriott Hotel in Seoul from 9:30 a.m. on the 16th.

Participants in the meetings include Korea Conformity Laboratories, Sinsung ENG, Solarpless, SK Solar Energy (solar equipment testing and certification in Vietnam), Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority, Gunjang Shipbuilding, Changnam Shipbuilding, Sejong Ship Technology, Korea Shipbuilding Industry Cooperative (shipbuilding technology standardization in Indonesia), Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, and Diotek (energy efficiency testing and certification in Uzbekistan).

The meeting was organized to proactively find solutions to the difficulties Korean companies face due to technical regulations in these countries by linking them with the Developing Countries Standard System Dissemination Support Project, and to discuss specific project implementation directions with these countries based on the findings.

Developing countries tend to impose technical regulations excessively, such as adopting regulations different from international standards or enforcing regulations before securing sufficient testing and certification infrastructure.

Last year, among over 3,300 notifications of technical regulations under the World Trade Organization (WTO) Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), 80% were issued by developing countries.

Accordingly, the National Institute of Technology and Standards is seeking strategic cooperation to utilize the Developing Countries Standard System Dissemination Support Project as a measure to resolve export difficulties caused by technical regulations in developing countries.

ODA is shifting from a past practice of unilateral support to recipient countries to a mutually beneficial project model based on linkage between donor and recipient countries.

Source: Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, National Institute of Technology and Standards

Through the export company meetings held that morning, the National Institute of Technology and Standards will identify the current status of Korean companies’ entry and export difficulties in each country and discuss solutions through the Developing Countries Standard System Dissemination Support Project.

Companies attending the meetings reported that most export difficulties in developing countries arise from the use of local standards different from international standards, demands for test reports from specific laboratories, and shortages of personnel and outdated equipment at local testing laboratories. They requested that these difficulties be resolved through ODA in the standards and certification field.

Based on the discussion results, the National Institute of Technology and Standards plans to hold video conferences with relevant ministries of ODA recipient countries such as Vietnam (solar equipment testing and certification), Indonesia (shipbuilding standardization), and Uzbekistan (energy efficiency testing and certification) to discuss the direction of the Developing Countries Standard System Dissemination Support Project.

Korea will provide the transfer of standard and certification systems, establishment of testing equipment, and expert education and training. Recipient countries will provide local legal and institutional enactment and revision, testing laboratory sites and buildings, and recruit new personnel.

The project is planned to proceed with a feasibility study this year, followed by reviews by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Economy and Finance next year, and the ODA project is scheduled to start in 2022.

Lee Seungwoo, head of the National Institute of Technology and Standards, said, "The Developing Countries Standard System Dissemination Support Project is a win-win ODA that strengthens trade cooperation based on solidarity and cooperation while resolving various export difficulties faced by our companies. We will continue to expand cooperation on technical regulations with trade expansion target countries, including New Southern and New Northern countries."