PBEC commends the adoption of the APEC Framework for a Mutual Recognition Arrangement and the Guidelines for Harmonization of Equipment Certification, and supports the successful negotiation by next spring among APEC economies of a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) text. We encourage each APEC economy to sign the MRA at the APEC Ministerial Meeting in Singapore on June 3-5 and begin implementation. The MRA will cover terminal attachment and other equipment subject to telecommunication regulatory requirements. PBEC believes that the MRA will be an important building block toward facilitating trade in a broad range of information technology products, and will represent progress towards PBEC’s broader trade facilitation goals for this sector in the Asia Pacific region. These goals are recognized in the Framework and draft MRA language itself, which state that mutual recognition can be seen not as an end in itself, but as a confidence-building measure towards future work that could include delivery of one-time testing against international standards and the use of suppliers’ declarations as the mechanism for increased market access across the region. The MRA The purpose of the MRA is to streamline the equipment certification processes among the APEC economies with the objective of eliminating delays in time to market caused by lengthy or unnecessary testing and review. Decreasing time to market benefits industry and consumers alike by providing new technology to end-users faster and at a lower cost. Transparency of the relevant technical regulations and other legislative, regulatory, and administrative requirements of each party to the MRA will be provided in annexes to the MRA.When implemented, Phase 1 of the MRA will provide for the mutual acceptance of test results from suppliers or third party laboratories testing to the regulatory requirements of the importing country. Phase 2 will allow for the mutual recognition of equipment certification (type approval). A two-year transition period between Phase 1 and 2 is anticipated. The product scope of the current MRA draft includes equipment that is subject to APEC member economies’ regulatory requirements for terminal attachment and other equipment subject to telecommunication regulation including wired and wireless equipment. Adoption of Internationally-Recognized Standards and Procedures PBEC believes that APEC should pursue a broader goal in the area of product regulations affecting trade in information technology products, namely that of having APEC governments adopt the use of internationally-recognized standards or suites of standards, and internationally-recognized conformity assessment procedures which would include suppliers’ declarations of conformity.In the area of computers, peripherals, and certain other information technology products, there currently exist internationally recognized standards for EMC and product safety, and yet each APEC economy has or may adopt divergent standards. At the same time, there exist today or are in development, internationally-recognized conformity assessment procedures for information technology products, and yet national policies in this area continue to diverge. Adoption of internationally recognized standards and conformity assessment procedures, including suppliers’ declarations of conformity, would ensure product integrity and safety without the need for 18 divergent standards. Adoption would eliminate duplicative and costly conformance testing procedures that cost APEC consumers and business time and money with uncertain value added from the divergent regulatory regimes. These resources could be better employed for individual productivity and business competitiveness in the region. PBEC notes that these diverging regulatory schemes will become more visible and perhaps more problematic as import duties are eliminated over the coming few years under the Information Technology Agreement (ITA). PBEC strongly encourages APEC economies to consider ways and means to build on the MRA negotiations and pursue this broader trade facilitation goal. Endorsed by the PBEC Steering Committee 05/24/98 Adopted by the PBEC Board of Directors 05/24/98 31st IGM Santiago, Chile Contact: |