NADI (Pacnews) — A meeting of the Pacific Area Standards and Conformance Congress has heard that proper standards are a key feature of the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations, involving the 16-member Pacific Islands Forum. PACER is expected to come into force this year.
“Proper standards and conformance are an important part of PACER, along with customs and quarantine/bio-security,” said Jaindra Kumar, director of the trade and investment division at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.
Kumar told the congress, currently underway in Nadi, Fiji, that these features would fall under PACER through a Regional Trade Facilitation Program that is currently being developed through consultation with Forum members and other competent organizations.
The congress was an opportunity for the Forum Secretariat to provide a brief on the proposed trade facilitation program, and the status of current standards and conformance infrastructure in the Pacific island countries. The meeting also provided feedback on the initial recommendations for the Standards and Conformance Work Program of the trade facilitation program.
Kumar said there was a need to ensure resources allocated to trade facilitation were used efficiently. There should also be good coordination between donors and those providing technical assistance.
The only Forum Island Countries that are currently members of the PASC are Fiji and Papua New Guinea, however, all the 14 FICs were invited to attend.
