Working Party on Regulatory CooperationWorking Party on Regulatory Cooperationand Standardization Policiesand Standardization Policies

(WP. 6)(WP. 6)

Accidents in mines, offshore facilities, plants

Cause casualties, loss of animal life,

environmental and economic damage

Proliferation of low quality goods

Endangers consumersWeakens compliant business

Absolute safety cannot be achieved but many risks can

be mitigated:By reinforcing competent authoritiesBy empowering consumersBy strengthening cooperation

What we are: Forum for dialogue on voluntary standards & technical regulations 1970 – 2010: 40 years

Our goal: Protect health, safety, natural environment No unnecessary barriers to trade

Our activities: Share info & best practice Develop and maintain a set of recommendations Implement a set of initiatives on specific industrial sectors Organize training and awareness raising events to build capacity

WP. 6

WP. 6 Network of expertise

Regulatory authorities Market surveillance authorities, Standards-setting organizations Business & business associations Certification bodies Test houses Civil society

from all U

N Member S

tates

Areas of work of WP. 6 Areas of work of WP. 6

• Standardization

• Technical regulations

• Conformity assessment

• Accreditation

• Market surveillance

• Metrology• Good governance – risk management

PRODUCT LIFE-CYCLE

REGULATORY DIALOGUE

Conformity assessment

Product design

Regulatory cooperation

Distribution

Market surveillance

Production

Achievements in Market Achievements in Market SurveillanceSurveillance

• 1st & 2nd International Forum on Market Surveillance, Oct. 2002 & Oct 2005, Geneva

• Advisory Group on Market Surveillance (MARS Group) established in 2003• 8 meetings of the MARS Group in Slovakia• Publication “Market Surveillance in the UNECE Region” 2004• Use of Market Surveillance Infrastructure as a Complementary Means to

Protect Consumers and Users against Counterfeit Goods (adopted 2007)

Current work itemsCurrent work items

GMSP:– a general model for supporting the decision making process of market

surveillance authorities from the phase of planning of inspections to the phase of product recall, in accordance with their own national legislation

– development of the MS sampling sub-procedures

Glossary– List of terms and their definitions relevant to market surveillance and post-

market surveillance of non-food products. – to promote a common understanding of and to harmonize such terms and

definitions used in national legislation

Use of risk management tools in market surveillance to:– Plan inspections, decisions on sanctions, communication obligations– Develop dangerous goods data-banks – Balance between legitimate security and consumer safety concerns/business

efficiency

Market surveillance contacts database– Information on authorities responsible for each sector in each country– Reference to the legislative mandate

Objectives / 2Objectives / 2New areas of work: Establish new Group of Experts on Risk Management Provide expertise on CA aspects of customs union among Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus Aid for Trade

Outreach: Quarterly newsletter Request for a MoU by IOML Exploit Linkedin & Twitter Organize webinars Education on standardization matters

Challenges UNECE limited resources (staff, travel funds,

consultancy… ) MSAs are overstretched and find it difficult to

participate in UNECE activities On some issues, national/regional positions are

well established, difficult to build consensus Need to develop IT facilities for working effectively

way with teams of external experts (shared web spaces, webinars, reliable listservers)