Category Archives: Quality Policy

Quality Policy
Policy adopted at the national or regional level to develop and sustain an efficient and effective Quality Infrastructure

Quality Infrastructure in Small Island Developing States

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The development of a national quality infrastructure needs always to be oriented towards the local specifics. This statement is especially true for small countries and island states. Mesopartner has had the privilege of accompanying national quality policies (NQPs) in several of these countries. Our first experience was the NQP of Trinidad and Tobago, followed by NQP’s for Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada and Suriname. We are currently advising the Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis to develop the NQP for one of the world’s smallest countries. In addition, we guide the process of identifying and analysing the need for quality infrastructure services in the Pacific Islands region.

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Reform of the quality law in Costa Rica

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Central American success model

Costa Rica is a small, innovative country in Central America. Long ago, the government decided to abstain from having an army and instead invested in environmental protection and technological innovation.[1] Costa Rica has evolved from a developing country to an industrialised economy. In May 2020, it became the 38thmember of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). [2]

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Quality Infrastructure for an African single market

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African Integration Day, 2020 July 7

African countries are slowly increasing their economic exchange, but trade with countries outside the continent is still dominant. Whereas in 1995 intra-African exports accounted for only 10% of total African exports, this share rose to 17% in 2017. By comparison, interregional exports in Europe are worth 69% of total exports.[1] These numbers show the enormous potential of a continent’s economic integration.

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The National Quality Law of Costa Rica

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Quality Infrastructure fulfils sovereign tasks 

The Quality Infrastructure is organised at the national level. Therefore, we speak of a National Quality System (NQS) or National Quality Infrastructure (NQI). Most countries in the world today have a National Metrology Institute (NMI), a National Standards Institute (NSI) and a National Accreditation Body (NAB). Each of these institutions requires a legal framework because they act in the public interest. In some cases, the Quality Infrastructure institutions even assume sovereign tasks.

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What is Quality Policy?

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Quality Infrastructure has grown over the decades and its setup differs from country to country. In Germany, the development started in 1887 with the foundation of the German National Metrology Institute (NMI), which today is the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) [1]. The German Institute for Standardization (DIN) was founded in 1917 [2] and in 2010 Germany overcame the fragmentation of its accreditation system with the establishment of the one and only German Accreditation Body (DAkkS).[3] In other countries, the Quality Infrastructure has a shorter history. However, also there, the fundamental institutions of the Quality Infrastructure were often established at different times.

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