Overview of the SADC

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is comprised of fourteen member states, which together make up a population of nearly 200 million people. An essential prerequisite for greater economic integration of the region is the harmonization of member countries' standards and technical regulations. This is the responsibility of SADCSTAN (SADC Cooperation in Standardization).

SADCSTAN, together with

SADCMEL (SADC Cooperation in Legal Metrology)
SADCMET (SADC Cooperation in Measurement Traceability), and
SADCA (SADC Cooperation in Accreditation),

form SQAM (Standardization, Quality Assurance, Accreditation and Metrology), the SADC body responsible for coordinating all these activities. These activities are grouped under the umbrella of SQAMEG (SADC SQAM Expert Group), which coordinates the regional activities of SQAM, set up in terms of a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Ministers of Trade and Industry of all SADC member states.

Membership

Membership is open to National Standards Bodies (NSBs) of member states or, where an NSB has not yet been established by a member state, any other institution designated by its Minister responsible for industry and trade.

| Members' contact information |

Objectives

SADCSTAN shall promote the coordination of standardization activities and services in the region, with the purpose of achieving harmonization of standards and technical regulations (with the exception of legal metrology regulations, handled by SADCMEL), in support of the objectives of the SADC trade protocol.

Aims of SADCSTAN

Promote regional cooperation in the development of harmonized standards and technical regulations
Facilitate the exchange of information on existing standards, draft standards and technical regulations among members, and
Facilitate the adoption of regional standards by member states.

Duties of SADCSTAN

Develop and adopt mechanisms for the formulation of regional standards
Examine the need for regional product standards and to develop them
Develop mechanisms to facilitate the adoption of regional standards as national standards
Develop standards in support of harmonized technical regulations
Develop regional bridging standards to make international standards more accessible to SADC members
Develop conformity assessment and accreditation standards
Facilitate access to the current databases of national standards bodies for standards, draft standards and technical regulations
Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade
Work together with SADCA and consult with industry in the development of systems standards such as ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 and their supporting certification and accreditation standards
Provide technical assistance and training in the management and planning of standards development, as well as standards information services, and
Coordinate inputs to and liaise with ISO, IEC, ARSO and similar regional and international standards organizations.

Why standards and technical regulations should be harmonized within SADC

Harmonization of standards and technical regulations within SADC will:
Eradicate Technical Barriers to Trade (TBTs) and encourage a freer flow of goods and services within SADC
Boost trade between SADC member states, and
Keep products not complying with SADC standards out of the region.

| Standards for harmonization |