T.R.A.D.E. Working Papers 3

INTRODUCTION: THE ROLE OF STANDARDS AND REGULATIONS (excerpt)

Countries require that domestically produced and imported goods conform to regulations and possibly adhere to standards. The number of standards and regulations is constantly increasing in most countries because of the expansion in volume, variety and technical sophistication of products manufactured and traded. Nowadays, standards and regulations aim at complying with a variety of aims and tasks. Some of them are traditional -- such as minimizing risks, providing information to consumers about the characteristics of products, providing information to producers about market needs and expectations, facilitating market transactions, raising efficiency and contributing to economies of scale. Other are less traditional -- such as serving as benchmarks for technological capability and network compatibility and enhancing technology diffusion. Standards and regulations respond also to growing public demand, often voiced by consumer associations and environmental groups, to have in the market products which have minimum detrimental effect on the environment, display clear information regarding their possible impact on health and respond to high quality requirements. Because the tasks that standards and regulations aim to fulfil have expanded and deepened, the number of interested parties involved in setting-up standards and regulations is also increasing, with the participation of groups such as consumer and environmental organizations, which were not previously involved in these activities.

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