Zambia Bureau of Standards

The National Conformity Assessment Infrastructure and Trade Facilitation in Zambia

Haggai Chomba Head – Management Systems Certifications

Acting Head – Import Quality Monitoring Division Zambia Bureau of Standards- ZABS

Zambia Bureau of Standards

Outline of Presentation • INTRODUCTION

• ZABS FUNCTIONS

•WHAT IS CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT

•WHY DOES CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT MATTER

• WHAT IS THE BASIS FOR CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT

•RISK MANAGEMENT AND CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT

•NATIONAL CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT SYSTEM

•ENFORCING STANDARDS

• BACKGROUND TO IQMS

•WTO TBTs REQUIREMENTS

•WAY FORWARD

•CONCLUSION/ QUESTIONS

Zambia Bureau of Standards

Introduction

Who is ZABS?

•The Zambia Bureau of Standards

•It was established under the Standards Act, Cap 416 of the Laws of Zambia in 1994

•It is a quasi-government body under the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry- MCTI

•ZABS regulates Trade and Industry sectors based on the Standards Act , Statutory Instruments and other legislation including standards and technical regulations

Zambia Bureau of Standards

Preparation of National Standards Maintenance of National Measurement Standards Calibration of instruments Testing of products Certification-

•Product, e.g. Bottled drinking water ( Aquasavana, Manzi) •Management Systems, e.g. ISO 9001, ISO 22000 •Personnel

Inspection •Local products- DQMS, Domestic Quality Monitoring Scheme •Imported products- IQMS, Import Quality Monitoring Scheme •Export products- Timber

Training and consultancy Sale of world standards

ZABS Functions

Zambia Bureau of Standards

WHAT IS CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT? Conformity assessment is the name given to the processes that are used to demonstrate that a product (tangible) or a service or a management system or body meets specified requirements. These requirements are contained in standards and guides. The processes that need to be followed to be able to demonstrate that they meet the requirements are also contained in ZABS standards and guides. The use of ISO standards in conformity assessment procedures allows for harmonization throughout the world and this, in turn, not only facilitates international trade between countries but also facilitates trade within countries by giving the purchaser of the product or service confidence that it meets the requirements.

Zambia Bureau of Standards

WHAT CONSTITUTES CONFORMITY

ASSESSMENT Conformity assessment can cover one or more of the following activities: Testing of a product/service to determine if it complies or performs in accordance with the specified requirements. Inspecting the manufacturing process of a product to ensure that it is manufactured in a safe manner and according to regulations (e.g. fire extinguishers). Certification of a management system to ensure that products/services are produced or delivered by an organization in a consistent manner and meet customers' requirements and exceed their expectations. e.g. ISO 14001

Zambia Bureau of Standards

WHY DOES CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT

MATTER Products and services are like promises. Business customers,

consumers, users and public officials have requirements and expectations about products and services relating to features like quality, ecology, safety, economy, reliability, compatibility, interoperability, efficiency and effectiveness. Conformity assessment means evaluating and confirming such features as defined in standards, regulations and other specifications. In this way, conformity assessment makes sure that products and services deliver on their promises.

Reference Standard Action Deliverable

Conformity Assessment is a risk management based

based operation and it takes into account the following; ◦ the safety hazards inherent to the specific product (such as

mechanical, electrical, thermal, fire or explosion, chemical, biological or radiation hazards)

◦ the severity of hazards ◦ the homogeneity of the consignment ◦ the reliability of the manufacturer / exporter ◦ the final buyer and end use

10

Laboratory ISO 17025

Certification Body

Inspection body

ISO 17020

Certification of products

Certification of MS

Inspection

Certification of persons

Measurement Testing

Accreditation body

ISO 17021

ISO 17024 ISO 65

NATIONAL CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT SYSTEM Figure: 2

source: swedac

Zambia Bureau of Standards

Zambia’s conformity assessment system is yet to be developed. However, the Ministry of commerce has now finalized the National Quality Policy and cabinet has since approved the same. There are a lot of proposed changes to re-align Zambia’s Quality Infrastructure including the Conformity Assessment System to best international practice and WTO principles with regard to facilitating trade. Thus most conformity assessment activities like inspection, certification, measurement and testing will be done by the private sector.

ZAMBIA’S CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT SYSTEM

Zambia Bureau of Standards

Melted charger

Changes in the economic policy of Zambia led to introduction of an open market economy around 1992.

Resulted in an influx of different products on the Zambian market from all over the world.

No scheme in place to check the quality of imported products until April 2003

The absence of procedures to check the quality and safety of imports resulted in the presence of inferior quality and un-safe products on the local market. Hence the Import Quality Monitoring Scheme and establishment of ZABS Border offices

Introduction of the Import Quality Monitoring Scheme

•The scheme was introduced in April 2003 under Statutory Instrument No. 41/2003 •Targeted selected imports due to limitations on testing capacity •Involves inspection of goods at points of entry (Borders) •Scheme ‘s effectiveness in controlling the quality and safety of imports can be enhanced by better coordination with other government/ regulatory agencies

Background to Import Quality Monitoring

Standards Act, Cap 416 of the Laws of Zambia

Under Part II Section 5 of the Act, the functions of the Bureau are specified and two of these include:

(a) To promote and require the adoption of standards in

industry and commerce with a view to improving quality of commodities, industrial efficiency and productivity and after sale support services and all aspects of quality assurance of commodities

(b) To make arrangements or provide facilities for the examination and testing of: (i) commodities to which standards apply; and (ii) The material or substance from which a commodity

may be produced, manufactured, processed, treated or finished

(ii) Import Quality Monitoring Regulation ◦ The current regulation on import quality monitoring is

SI 41 of 2003, SI 78 of 2003, SI 120 of 2006, SI 33 of 2009

World Trade Organization – Technical Barriers to Trade / Phyto-sanitary measures agreements require that a member ; ◦ Refers to International standards when appropriate

(art 2.4) ◦ Recognises other Conformity assessment (art 6) ◦ Takes into account accreditation as an indication of

adequate technical competence of conformity assessment bodies ◦ Signs agreements on such programs

From the foregoing, it is imperative that the current cooperation and synergy between ZABS, ZRA and other government border agencies be maintained and enhanced with the aim of serving the country better while promoting and facilitating international trade

With the advent of One Stop Border Posts around the country, such partnerships can only get better

1 ZS 011 ASBESTOS CEMENT PRESSURE PIPES

2 ZS 004 ASBESTOS ROOFING SHEETS

3 ZS 438 BISCUITS

4 ZS 388 BOTTLED WATER

5 ZS 202 CANNED PINEAPPLES

6 ZS 019 CATTLE FEED

7 ZS;EN 197 PORTLAND CEMENT

8 ZS 430 CLEAR BEER

9 ZS 431 COMPOUND FERTILIZER

10 ZS 233 CRUDE VEGETABLE OIL

11 ZS 264 HAIR CREAMS

12 ZS 263 HAIR OILS

13 ZS 106 HOUSEHOLD ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES

14 ZS 274 HOUSEHOLD AND DISH WASHING LIQUID

15 ZS 432 INCANDESCENT LAMPS

16 ZS 037-1-2 JAMS, JELLIES AND MARMALADES

17 ZS 058 LAUNDRY SOAP

18 ZS 005 LEAD ACID BATTERIES

19 ZS 193 MARGARINE

20 ZS 201 PAINT

21 ZS 063 PETROLEUM JELLY

22 ZS 018 PIG FEED

23 ZS 437 PNEUMATIC TYRES

24 ZS 017 POUTRY FEED

25 ZS 436 PRIMARY DRY BATTERIES

26 ZS 065 PURE GLYCERINE

27 ZS 234 REFINED EDIBLE VEGETABLE OIL

28 ZS 286 RUBBER CONDOMS

29 ZS 119 SAFETY BELTS AND HARNESSES

30 ZS 073 SAFETY FOOTWEAR

31 ZS074 SHOE POLISH

32 ZS 056 TOILET SOAP

33 ZS 295 VARNISHES

34 ZS 435 WHEAT FLOUR

35 ZS 106 SAFETY OF HOUSEHOLD & SIMILAR ELETRICAL APPLIANCES

36 ZS 206 REFLEX-REFLECTING VEHICLE NUMBER PLATES

37 ZS 321 OPAQUE BEER

38 ZS 388 BOTTLE WATER

39 ZS 436 PRIMARY DRY BATTERIES 40 ZS 554 FRUIT FLAVOURED DRINKS 41 ZS 558 PLUGS AND SOCKET OUTLETS,ADAPTORS AND CONNECTION UNITS PART 1- SPECIFICATIONS FOR

REWIREABLE AND REWIREABLE 13A FUSED PLUGS

42 ZS 558 PLUGS AND SOCKET OUTLETS,ADAPTORS AND CONNECTION UNITS PART 2- SWITCHED AND UNSWITCHED SOCKETS- OUTLETS

43 ZS 558 PLUGS AND SOCKET OUTLETS,ADAPTORS AND CONNECTION UNITS PART 3- SPECIFICATION FOR ADAPTORS

44 ZS 559 CODE OF PRACTICE FOR INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE CRETERIA FOR USED TEXTILES PRODUCTS –SALAULA

45 ZS 560 CODE OF PRACTICE FOR INSPECTION AND TESTING OF USED MOTOR VEHICLES FOR ROAD WORTTHINESS

46 ZS 605 FERTILIZER- UREA 47 ZS 606 FERTILIZERS – AMMONIA NITRATE 48 ZS 607 FERTILIZERS- CALCIUM AMMONIA NITRATE 49 ZS 608 FERTILIZERS- AMMONIA SULPHATE 50 ZS 369 AUTOMOTIVE GAS OIL (DIESEL FUEL) 51 ZS 380 ILLUMINATING KEROSENE 52 ZS 395 UNLEADED PETROL (GAS OIL) FOR MOTOR VEHICLES 53 ZSEN 197 CEMENT:COMPOSITION,SPECIFICATION AND CONFORMITY CRITERIA FOR COMMON CEMENTS