1. What is Quality Standards?
An international trade quality standard is a criterion or rule set up by an organization that helps determine compliance across national borders1. It describes the best way of doing something related to a product, process, service or material. It also facilitates trade by overcoming local or regional constraints and creating a level playing field for businesses3
Some of the benefits of international trade
quality standards are:
They help optimize operations and reduce costs by harmonizing technical specifications of products and services12.
They make the world a safer place by addressing issues such as road safety, toy safety and secure medical packaging
They enhance customer satisfaction and increase sales by improving quality, reliability and compatibility of products and services.
They prevent trade barriers and open up global markets by ensuring interoperability and transparency across borders.
They improve living standards and quality of life by offering consumers more choices and access to a variety of products.
National Bureau of Standard (NBS) are Government Agencies in charge of quality standards management and conformity assessment. NBS develop, publish, and promote quality standards of goods produced or imported in the country. Conformity evaluation to standards is an activity aiming to improve products, quality, safety, reliability to buyers and to ensure an optimum value for money.
3. What is Verification of Conformity?
Usually referred to as VOC (Program of Verification of Conformity). A VOC process simply means to certify quality of goods which to standard before shipments, together with the exporter. Various Bureau of standards subcontracts the verification of imported consignment to major private Testing Inspection and Certification companies (TIC). Programmes are running in various countries in Africa and Middle east.
