In the framework of the General Assembly of the Pan American Commission of Standards (COPANT, in Spanish), which was recently held in Mexico City, four agreements were signed to promote cooperation in assessment of conformity and harmonization of standards, facilitate the international trade and maintain the high quality standards in products and services.
The signing of the agreements was made by the Secretariat of Economy, through the Undersecretariat of Competition and Regulation, who heads María del Rocío Ruiz Chávez, the German Institute for Standardization (DIN), the Dominican Institute for Quality (INDOCAL, in Spanish), the Colombian Institute of Technical Standards and Certification (ICONTEC, in Spanish) and the Standards Council of Canada (SCC).
In this context, it was identified that standardization is one of the key components to evolve and adapt to the economic and technological changes currently happening. The rules become themselves in keys to open new markets, become themselves in tools to build collaborative and favorable business environments to stimulate the economic growth.
The agreements will support the compliance in response to the National Development Plan (PND, in Spanish), specifically the goal of a Mexico with Global Responsibility, and as provided by the fifth goal of the Programme of Innovative Development (PRODEINN) about the need of increasing the flow of trade and investment in our country.
The Undersecretary Ruiz Chávez expressed her interest in continuing to build with Germany, Canada, Colombia and the Dominican Republic, a close business relationship to promote and implement efficient and complementary regulatory systems.
For his part, José Manuel del Castillo Saviñón, Minister of Industry and Commerce of the Dominican Republic, said that there is interest in his country to generate a program of bilateral cooperation which allows to both standard systems operate in a coordinated way, applying the same rules and procedures.
The Executive Director of ICONTEC, Hans-Peter Knudsen Quevedo, stressed the importance of implementing projects that strengthen the trade and political links between strategic partners such as Colombia and Mexico are.
Rüdiger Marquadt, Deputy Director General of DIN, expressed the pleasure of signing the Agreement because it is the first step to more joint projects.
Finally, John Walter, Executive Director of the Standards Council of Canada, reiterated his commitment to strengthen ties with Mexico and promote the trade between both nations maintaining high standards of quality and safety in their products and services.
The Directorate-General of Standards (DGN) of the Secretariat of Economy is the National Body of Standards, responsible for developing and publishing the standards and / or technical regulations in the country, and is also the representative of the Secretariat of Economy before the Pan American Commission of Standards (COPANT).