1 Potential Benefits and Future Prospects of Thailand and the United States: Dialogue and Cooperation in the Area of Standards and Conformity Assessment as well as Sanitary and Phyto Sanitary/ Food Safety By SONGSAK SAICHEUA The Royal Thai Embassy, Washington DC 23 August 2006

2 Outline 1. U.S. Standards Strategy and International Cooperation 2. TBT Standards and Conformity Assessment Issues 3. International Cooperation/ Arrangement :the U.S. in SPS/ Food/ Food Safety 4. SPS/ Food Safety Issues 5. Possible Cooperations between Thailand and the U.S.

3 1. The U.S. Standards Strategy and International Cooperation The U.S. Standards Strategy Recognizes that competition to set globally accepted standards in a major driving force in international trade Two key new elements in the U.S. Standards Strategy Work to prevent standards from becoming trade barriers Strengthen international outreach program to promote understanding of the benefits of voluntary, consensus- based, market driven sectoral standards

4 The U.S. Standards Strategy and International Cooperation (cont.) International Cooperation of the U.S. in standards Department of Commerce Standards Initiatives Intensive Training for Standards Attaches Training for U.S. + Foreign Commercial Officers Create a “best practices database” Reach out to U.S. industries, hosting industry-specific roundtables on standards Appoint a standards liaison at International Trade Administration (ITA) Standards officers in China, Belgium, Mexico, Brazil Spotlight markets: China, EU, Brazil, India, Russia, ROK, Japan, Western Hemisphere Standards as a part of National Export Strategy

5 U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) U.S.-China Standards and Conformity Assessment Cooperation Program Afghanistan Standards Development Vietnam Standards Development USTDA supported standards-related activities in Brazil, Russia, Thailand, Mexico

6 Other Cooperations (cont.) Note: Ideas discussed in the “Options for Action Summit” at NIST, Gaithersburg, Maryland, U.S.A, on July 2006 FTA (WTO+)/ MRAs are good first steps (support trade) U.S.’s strategy to build and sustain relationship with other countries Incorporate regulatory info in training (sometimes difficult to include) MOU programs, workshops, open houses, training modules, outreach/ friendship agreements, trade shows Involve representatives from developing countries on boards, policy and technical committees DOC/NIST Standards in Trade Workshops

7 Other Cooperations (cont.) Note: Ideas discussed in the “Options for Action Summit” at NIST, Gaithersburg, Maryland, U.S.A, on July 2006 ANSI meetings with foreign NSBs and outreach meetings USNC liaison with other national committees (IEC members) Bilateral and multilateral meetings at IEC meetings; regional offices Committee meetings in foreign countries Invite representatives from other countries to annual/special meetings Still large need for U.S. standards in foreign countries Targeting countries who want U.S. assistance/ tied to trade

8 Opportunities for Coordination, Harmonization, and Partnering Note: Ideas discussed in the “Options for Action Summit” at NIST, Gaithersburg, Maryland, U.S.A, on July 2006 Make staff available for visits, workshops, meetings, etc. in the U.S. and abroad Identify opportunities for participation in FTA/MRA discussions Coordinate with FCS/Standards attaches Regardless of sector-specific standards strategy approaches-remember common developing country practices and important of maintaining U.S. participation within traditional ISO/IEC/ITU process when possible (and the perils of not) Coordination of U.S. standards system-wide technical assistance efforts Stronger U.S. participation (experts) in important international areas Funding needed (education/training can help & shared funding) Recruiting new people – new generation of standards and CA experts Education (benefits of standards) at all levels Create and maintain a central resources of information on U.S. technical assistance Create and maintain a database/process of experts/ resources to talk on standards

9 Positive Aspects of Current Technical Cooperation Seminars are working well, great demand, great participation Seminars provide opportunities for frank discussion on standards-related trade issues Very successful U.S. officers training in standards issues Technical cooperation activities are fully supported by all stakeholders

10 Challenges in provision of U.S. Technical Cooperation Technical cooperation with foreign countries should be increased Standards development should be based on the partner countries’ need How to sustain current positive technical cooperation Lacks of full understanding of U.S. funding agencies about standards and their importance to U.S. competitiveness The need for more forward looking of U.S. standards-related agencies and authorities Need for recognition of importance of standards at U.S. highest level Need for more effective coordination among agencies concerned Need for database of standards and standards activities Need more resources/ more effective means of technical cooperation Technical assistance VS Technical cooperation

11 2. Thailand – U.S. TBT/Standards and Conformity Assessment (SCA) Issues U.S. Concerns overly burdensome, cost, duration complexity of TFDA permitting process Concerns over measures proposed or implemented by TISI results: Radio Disturbance limits of personal computers TISI technical regulation requiring all uninterruptible power system to meet certain testing standards Concerns over large-displacement motorcycle traffic from express ways and motorcycle emissions regulations

12 Thailand - U.S. TBT/Standards and Conformity Assessment (SCA) Issues (cont.) Thailand Different SCA at the U.S. federal, state, local governments Lack of knowledge and understanding about U.S. SCA Rule of origin labeling Some specific issues: toy, cement, etc. Clinical Trial process for pharmaceutical products of the U.S.

13 3.International Cooperation/ Arrangement of U.S. in SPS/ Food/ Food Safety SPS in U.S. FTA SPS Committee SPS Cooperation

14 FDA International Arrangements: 71 agreements/arrangements 27 Countries and 1 Inter-organization: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, WHO

15 FDA International Arrangements: 71 agreements/arrangements (cont.) Products/sectors Milk (Australia, Belgium, Denmark) Dry milk (Australia, Belgium, Denmark) Medical products (Singapore) Food products (Philippines, Russia) Medical devices (Taiwan, EU) Fish and fishery products (NZ) Veterinary equivalence framework agreement (EU) Safety and quality of fresh and frozen Molluscan Shellfish (Mexico) Ceramicware certification (China)

16 FDA International Arrangements (cont.) Thematic arrangement Sharing and exchange of information (Canada, EU, France, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland) Good laboratory practice (Sweden, Germany, Italy, France, Canada) Good manufacturing practice (Australia, EU) Agricultural trade: veterinary drug and pesticides (Canada) Scientific/ regulatory fields of health cooperation (Canada, Mexico) Food safety (EU) Veterinary Equivalence Framework Agreement (EU)

17 Equivalence Recognition/ Process of USDA

18 The U.S. National Food Safety Program Overview Produce and import safety initiative Surveillance Inspection and compliance Food safety education/ International outreach Research Risk assessment

19 4. SPS/Food Safety Issues Thailand Hundreds of Thai agricultural and food products exported to the U.S. have been rejected every year Thai herbal products still cannot be registered in the U.S. (Pueraria Marifica or Kwoa Krue, etc) Pork and pork products Poultry and poultry products Fruits and vegetable Country of origin labeling Bioterrorism

20 SPS/Food Safety Issues (cont.) U.S. Poultry products Most concerns are tariff and customs aspects

21 5. Possible Cooperation between Thailand and the U.S. Cross-sectors Cooperation Thailand’s active role in SPS/food safety and SCA Promotion of U.S. standards and cooperation SCA Forum/ Mechanism/ Committee SPS/ Food Safety Committee Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) Equivalence Agreement (EA) MOU, workshops, exchange of experts, officials, training, outreach program, trade fairs/shows Standards fairs/exhibitions Exchange of information and regulatory cooperation

22 SCA Cooperation Thailand-U.S. SCA Fairs/symposium Possible standards officers/office in Thailand: regional hub (DOC) Thailand-U.S. SCA Technical Cooperation Program/Framework (USAID, USTDA, ANSI, NIST, etc) Setting up of U.S. SCA-related private firms/ lab in Thailand Standards testing: Thailand 2-step approach Standards education/curriculum National Standards Strategy of Thailand Coordination/ exchange of information: ISO/IEC/ITU Database development cooperation

23 SPS/Food Safety Cooperation Recognition of equivalence: meat, poultry Cooperation in using regionalization Arrangement/cooperation in some specific products/sectors: veterinary, fishery products, medical products, etc More exchange of visits/exchange of information Avian Influenza Herbal and health-related products: registration and clinical trial process

24 SPS/Food Safety Cooperation (continued) Human aspect of food safety: cooperation, R&D (U.S. National Institute of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, etc) Food Safety Cooperation Program/Framework Regulatory aspects Food safety handling Food labeling Food safety education/training Risk assessment Inspection/ surveillance R&D

25 Other Cooperations GAP, GMP, GHP Laboratory cooperations/MOU