Jakarta, Apr. 6 - ASEAN Secretary-General Rodolfo C. Severino Jr. yesterday signed the Memorandum of Cooperation on Trade-Related Standards and Conformance Issues with the United States Secretary of Commerce, Mr. Donald L. Evans.

The signing of the Memorandum between the ASEAN Secretariat and the US Department of Commerce marks an important step made by both sides to address standards and conformity assessment issues to further facilitate trade between ASEAN and the US.

Conformity assessment activities, such as product testing, certification, inspections, and other procedures are conducted to determine if a product conforms to the specifications set forth in a standard. Standards cooperation promotes quality of consumer products and enhances production efficiency. Different standards and conformity assessment procedures result in duplication in testing and certification.

To implement the Memorandum, the ASEAN Consultative Committee for Standards and Quality (ACCSQ) and the United States National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the International Trade Administration (ITA) have been appointed as coordinating agencies to develop workplans and take appropriate measures to address trade-related standards and conformance issues.

Furthermore, ASEAN and US have agreed to develop a three-year action plan. Preliminary sectors of mutual interest have been identified, which include electrical and electronics equipment, telecommunications and IT products, foods and construction materials. An agreement has also been reached to conduct a workshop to familiarize relevant regulatory agencies and industry with the requirements of the US and ASEAN Member Countries for electrical and electronics equipment.

The implementation of the Memorandum is expected to contribute positively to ASEAN-US trade. The United States is ASEAN’s largest export market with exports in year 2000 amounting to US$ 86.68 billion. US exports to the ASEAN region amounted to US$ 46.98 billion for the same year.