Standards and conformance procedures that are harmonized across economies improve the efficiency of production and facilitate the conduct of international trade. This results in more rapid trade flows, reduced costs and a greater integration of production networks.
The Sub-Committee on Standards and Conformance (SCSC) was established in 1994 to help reduce the negative effects that differing standards and conformance arrangements have on trade and investment flows in the Asia-Pacific region. In this way, the SCSC assists the Committee on Trade and Investment (CTI) to achieve APEC's trade and investment liberalization and facilitation agenda.
The main objectives of the SCSC are to:
- Reduce technical barriers to trade and enhance market access through standards and conformance
- Align each economy’s standards with international standards
- Promote good regulatory practices in the preparation, adoption and application of standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures
- Progress mutual recognition arrangements for conformity assessment within the region
- Pursue regional cooperation in accordance with international agreements
- Ensure greater transparency
- Encourage participation in standards education and awareness programs to build capacity and capability to enhance the competitiveness of businesses, including micro, small and medium enterprises
The SCSC comprises of representatives nominated by the 21 member economies who are drawn from agencies responsible for standards and conformance issues as well as trade policy matters.
Nominated representatives from specialist regional bodies such as the Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC), the Asia-Pacific Legal Metrology Forum (APLMF), the Asia-Pacific Metrology Program (APMP), and the Pacific Area Standards Congress (PASC) participate in SCSC meetings as expert regional bodies responsible for the development of standards and conformance infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Joint Regulatory Advisory Committee (JRAC) on Electrical and Electronic Equipment, the Food Safety Cooperation Forum (FSCF), and the Regulatory Harmonization Steering Committee (RHSC) on Medical Products report to the SCSC as its subsidiary bodies.
Last page update: April 2024
Contacts
SCSC Chair 2024
Program Director
Current Activities
- SCSC held its first plenary meeting in 2024 (SCSC 1) on 24-25 February 2024 in Lima, Peru. Member economies shared updates on various SCSC projects and developments at the WTO Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) committees, as well as updates from the special regional bodies.
- During SCSC 1, SCSC members engaged in a panel discussion on “Women and Standardization,” in which members took stock of recent developments in gender-responsive standards, the role of women in standards, and the benefits of gender-responsive standards to industry and the economy. There was strong interest among members to continue working towards inclusion of women in standardization – efforts which will contribute to the implementation of the La Serena Roadmap for Women and Inclusive Growth. Read more about SCSC’s discussion on this issue in a blog article by the SCSC Chair César José Bernabé Pérez here.
- SCSC members also engaged in a policy discussion on quality infrastructure in sustainability, during which members took stock of recent developments in standards and conformance on quality infrastructure in sustainability.
- Moreover, SCSC agreed to include the RHSC on Medical Products as its subsidiary body – a decision which was later endorsed by the CTI.
- The second plenary meeting of the SCSC (SCSC 2) will be held in Lima, Peru in August 2024.