Jakarta (VNA) - The 59th ASEAN ConsultativeCommittee for Standards and Quality (ACCSQ) meeting is being held to discussthe road map for the harmonisation of standard🦂s to ensure the successful realisationof the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

The meeting, running from June 13 to 16 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, is being attended by representatives of thestandardisation and conformity assessment institutions of ASEAN membercountries. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Head of Indonesia’sNational Standardisation Agency (BSN) Kukuh S. Achmad said theharmonisation of standards is required to ensure the quality of products,especially those manufactured by developing countries, so that the products cancompete internationally. He expressed his belief that harmonisation willfurther support the goods and services trade as well as help realise equitableprosperity in Southeast Asian countries. He highlighted that ASEAN member countries do not aimto develop the same standards in each country, but the bloc attempts tosynchronise the standards in all countries in the region.

Kukuh said that the BSN has been tasked withcompleting the development of the Road Map of ASEAN Harmonised Standards toSupport SDG Implementation under Indonesia’s chairmanship of ASEAN in 2023.

He stated that the road map is one of Indonesia’s 16priority economic deliverab🥃les (PED) to make ASEAN a global growth centre.

He continued that the road map also aims to increasetrade productivity in the Southeast Asian region by improving production costefficiency, preserving sustainable resources, and strengthening environmentalprotection. The BSN head noted that ASEAN member countries haveendorsed a number of initiatives during prior ACCSQ meetings, for instance,product acceptance agreements on various commodities, such as electronics andcosmetics. Later, the same agreement will also be followed up for medicaldevices and automotive products. There are also a number ofagendas that need to be realised, such as the development of an action plan bythe Joint Sectoral Committee on Electrical and Electronic Equipment (JSC EEE)to map regional trade in the sector, he added. He emphasised that SoutheastAsian countries must anticipate the threat of economic recession given theongoing geopolitical tensions and trade war. Kukuh affirmed that it will be difficult for ASEAN to anticipatethe recession if the member countries implement trade protection policies anddo not encourage a mutually beneficial trade system./.