1. HARMONIZING STANDARDS Justice Kobe SADCSTAN Secretariat

2. PRESENTATION OUTLINE Overview of SADCSTAN Membership of SADCSTAN
SADCSTAN Rules and Structure
SADCSTAN Technical Committees
SADCSTAN Process
Adoption and implementation of SADC harmonized standards
Publication of SADC HS
SADC Harmonized Standards
Conclusion

3. What is SADCSTAN?
SADCSTAN is SADC Cooperation in Standardization, a sole body mandated by SADC Council of Ministers to coordinate standardization activities and services in the region.
Established 1997 in Port Louis, Mauritius
There is Basic rules for the operation of SADCSTAN
There is also a formalized procedures for harmonizing standards agreed in Maseru, 2001

4. Objectives of SADCSTAN
SADCSTAN shall promote the coordination of standardization activities and services in the region, with the purpose of achieving harmonization of standards and technical regulations in support of the objectives of the SADC trade protocol.
Ultimate objective of the trade protocol is free movement of goods and services in the region (free trade by 2008)

5. Current SADCSTAN Membership

6. Membership of SADCSTAN
Membership is open to National Standards Bodies (NSBs) of member states
Where NSB does not exist, to a focal point or any other institution designated by the Minister of Trade and Industry
Associate members – but there are no associate members in SADCSTAN at the moment
Stakeholders (industry associations, other SQAM structures, SADC sectors, other bodies e.g. PIESA

7. SADCSTAN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Day to day management of SADCSTAN
Composed of Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, SADCSTAN Secretariat and two ordinary member representatives. Additional members can be co-opted as required.
It has to meet at least twice a year
Members appointed for a term of at least 2 years and can be reappointed

8. SADCSTAN HARMONIZATION TECHNICAL COMMITTEES
Harmonization work within SADCSTAN now takes place in Technical Committees (TCs) and Subcommittees (SCs)
Each TC and SC has a Secretariat that is allocated to a willing National Standards Body (NSB)
Each TC has a scope of work and is responsible for all harmonization work within that scope

9. SADCSTAN TECHNICAL COMMITTEES cont.
13 Technical Committee have been identified as follows:
TC 1 Construction
TC 2 Automotive and transportation
TC 3 Foods and agriculture
TC 4 Electrotechnical
TC 5 Environment
TC 6 Health and Safety

10. SADCSTAN TECHNICAL COMMITTEES cont.
TC 7 Packaged Goods
TC 8 Hospitality and tourism
TC 9 Non-destructive testing
TC 10 CASCO documents
TC 11 Quality
TC 12 Metrology
TC 13 Geographical Information Systems

11. TC membership; [P] and [O] members
The TC secretariat requests each NSB to indicate its membership preference:
[P]: Must participate actively in the TC by commenting and voting
[O]: Receives all documentation, and may comment and vote
All NSBs must be either [P] or [O]
If no reply, [O] membership is assumed

12. SADCSTAN Process
TC Secretariat circulates all drafts to all [P] and [O] members for comments
Closing dates for comments are clearly stated, and strictly applied
national consultations must take place
All important stakeholders must be consulted, and national positions agreed upon

13. SADCSTAN Process
After the closing date for comments, the TC Secretariat collates the comments received
[P] members have an obligation to vote
Votes must be explicit: +, -, or abstain
Technical reasons must be given for negative votes (otherwise they don't count)
Positive votes cannot be conditional (minor comments OK - Secretariat decides on them)

14. SADCSTAN Process Voting period applied
3 months for CD (committee stage)
6 months for DHS (enquiry stage)
2 months for FDHS (approval stage)
Approval criteria: 2/3 [P] members voting in favour max 25% negative votes [P]+[O]

15. SADCSTAN Process TC/SC Secretariat circulates a voting report
If criteria are not met, the TC must reconsider the technical reasons submitted with the negative votes
If criteria are met TC Secretariat informs SADCSTAN Secretariat
SADCSTAN Secretariat informs all NSBs of the new SADC Harmonized Standard

16. Adoption and Implementation of SADC HS
There is no obligation to adopt SADC HS but in the spirit of SADC, member countries are expected to:
Align or remove conflicting standards
Align or remove conflicting legislation
SADCSTAN does not prescribe how each member deals with alignment of national standards and regulations

17. Adoption and Implementation of SADC HS
However member NSBs are required to inform SADCSTAN secretariat of progress with regard to adoption and implementation
SADCSTAN Secretariat will place such information on the SADCSTAN web site

18. Publication of SADC HS SADCSTAN does not publish standards
SADCSTAN member bodies should publish SADC Harmonized standards as national standards
Therefore national stakeholder input into the SADCSTAN process is important at each stage
otherwise there will be problems later at national level

19. Thank you !!