ARISE Plus Lao PDR celebrates World Standards Day, emphasizing trainings in national standards

(Vientiane, Lao PDR) On 14 October of each year, members of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), The International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) commemorate World Standards Day, which recognizes voluntary technical agreements published as International Standards.

World Standards Day offers an opportunity to raise awareness on the importance of standardization. This year, World Standards Day emphasizes international standards for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – the theme of this year is ‘Shared vision for a better world’.

In Lao PDR, the Department of Standardization and Metrology (DOSM) of the Ministry of Science and Technology is the leading authority in standardization, metrology, accreditation and conformity assessment. DOSM promotes the adoption and implementation of these international standards for export opportunities within ASEAN countries.

Under its project ‘ASEAN Regional Integration Support from the EU Plus – Lao PDR’ (ARISE Plus Lao PDR), the International Trade Centre (ITC) provides technical support and capacity building in adopting product, quality and environmental standards and conformity assessment capabilities, among other areas.

ARISE Plus also contributes to the country’s harmonization and promotion of national standards, and the development of an effective standardization programme as part of ASEAN standardization efforts. To assist small firms in demonstrating compliance and preparing for international accreditation, to the International Trade Centre supports strengthening standards, national inspection, testing, and certification organizations.

In this context, the International Trade Centre will conduct a five-day training-of-trainers session with DOSM members on the effective implementation of ISO 14001: Environmental Management Systems. This follows a similar event held in July on ISO 9001: Quality Management Systems.

You can learn more about World Standards Day in Lao PDR and the impact of the ARISE Plus project at https://www.facebook.com/groups/ariseplus.

About Arise Plus Lao PDR: The ASEAN Regional Integration Support – Lao PDR Trade-Related Assistance project (ARISE Plus Lao PDR) is funded by the European Union (EU). It aims to contribute to inclusive economic growth, increased climate change resilience, mitigation of vulnerability and job creation in Lao PDR.  Find us online: https://www.intracen.org/arise-plus-laos/

About the International Trade Centre - The International Trade Centre is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. ITC assists small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. For more information, visit www.intracen.org.

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Vittorio Cammarota

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