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The Andean Community has a quality
system in effect that both
contributes to more free-flowing
intraCommunity trade by removing
unnecessary technical obstacles
and helps bring about an
improvement in the quality of the
goods and services that are
produced in the Andean subregion.
The Andean System of
Standardization, Accreditation,
Testing, Certification, Technical
Regulations and Metrology was
created in April 1995 by Decision
376 and perfected by
Decision 419
of July 30, 1997.
The application of these Community
provisions is also intended to
strengthen institutions in the
Member Countries that are
responsible for ensuring the
fulfillment of the conformity
evaluation provisions, technical
regulations, and procedures of the
World Trade Organization’s
Agreement on Technical Obstacles
to Trade.
The Andean Quality System covers
all of the elements of the quality
infrastructure: standardization,
accreditation, testing,
certification, technical
regulations, and metrology for all
of the subregion’s products and
services, except for those having
to do with phytosanitary and
zoosanitary matters.
The aim of the Andean
Standardization Network’s (ASN)
standardization activities is
to establish "Andean standards"
for the products that are marketed
in the subregion, by harmonizing
the standards in effect in each
country or adopting international
standards considered to be of
interest to the subregion.
The Andean Standardization Network
Regulations stipulate the
guidelines to be followed for the
adoption, harmonization,
preparation, publication, and
dissemination of Andean standards
(General Secretariat
Resolution 313).
Accreditation
is the evaluation and attestation
by testing and calibration
laboratories, certification
institutions, inspection bodies
and persons that are technically
competent to perform a specified
task. The National Accreditation
Institutions are authorized to
attribute that competence. They
must also guarantee the
reliability of the results and
conduct supervisory audits for
that purpose.
The testing and certification is
intended to expand the networks of
testing laboratories and
certification institutions in the
Member Countries that back the
conformity evaluations of
production and trade throughout
the territories of those
countries. It is also aimed at
fostering and providing guidance
for the establishment of
Multilateral/Mutual Recognition
Agreements.
Over 200 laboratories and
certification and inspection
institutions belong to the Andean
Networks of Testing and
Calibration Laboratories and
product and system certification
institutions, all of which are
duly constituted and regulated.
The Andean Quality System promotes
the application of the
International System of Units and
the attainment of levels of Andean
plotability that will ensure the
technical competence of the
results attained by the different
institutions that evaluate the
conformity and the industrial web
in the Member Countries.
There is an Andean Metrology
Network that, because it has the
same membership and the same
objectives and functions as the
ANDIMET Regional Group of the
Inter-American Metrology System (IAMS),
has merged with it. The Andean
Standardization, Accreditation,
Testing, Certification, Technical
Regulations and Metrology
Committee (CAN) will continue to
be responsible for defining Andean
policy in the area of metrology.
The Andean System has an
Information System on Technical
Notification and Regulation – SIRT
– that makes it possible to
disseminate the drafts and final
versions of Technical Regulations
and procedures for evaluating
conformity. Subscription to this
system is cost free and it may be
accessed at:
http://secgen.comunidadandina.org/sirt
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