Citizens and companies follow countless rules daily. Some of these rules are visible (e.g. wearing protective equipment), while some are “hidden” in the products we use and consume (e.g. moisture levels in concrete). These “rules” have different objectives, such as protecting human health or the environment, ensuring product performance, or defining management processes. They can take the form of regulations enacted by government or standards adopted voluntarily by companies. Standards function in a wider system that ensures that they follow accurate measurements (metrology), checks that standards are being met (conformity assessment), and ensures only competent and impartial bodies provide these checks against standards (accreditation), while regulators supervise that products and services continuously comply with the rules (market surveillance). This standards and quality assurance system is collectively known as “quality infrastructure” (QI), or in other words, the infrastructure needed to ensure quality of products and services. The term QI will therefore be used in this report to mean standards and quality assurance.
Regulations and these systems of standards and quality assurance are deeply interlinked, and their alignment is essential to drive effective policy outcomes. Regulations establish the framework within which industries and governments operate, while standards and quality assurance systems, or “quality infrastructure” (QI), provide the technical backbone to ensure regulations are practical, enforceable, and measurable. An optimal and linked-up functioning of these two systems can enhance trade, increase investment opportunities, facilitate market access, boost productivity and innovation, and support economic development. Industry benefits from clarity and consistency, knowing that compliance processes are supported by reliable and international recognised standards. Governments, in turn, can rely on QI to monitor and evaluate the compliance of their policies. At the very core, an optimal governance system for regulations and standards and quality assurance fosters trust in the use of products and services for all stakeholders.
Yet, many countries face challenges in setting up a governance system that allows regulators and standards and quality assurance bodies to function efficiently and effectively. The system of standards and quality assurance can also be complex and difficult to navigate for businesses ang government alike. This report clarifies how policy and regulatory systems interact with the standard and quality assurance system and provides insights into how these interactions can be optimised. It addresses how standards and quality assurance can support effective, agile, and efficient regulation and reduce regulatory fragmentation. It also looks at how governments can support a well-functioning standards and quality assurance system. The report provides a practical checklist for countries looking to design or improve their regulatory and standards and quality assurance (QI) systems.