Policy makers, government officials and industry senior officials from all 10 ASEAN member countries have gathered in Vientiane, Laos, for a workshop on Development of Safety Regulations for Electrical & Electronic Equipment.

The October 28-29 workshop was part of the capacity development programme organised by the ASEAN Integration Support by the European Union project (ARISE).

It supported the initiatives of the Joint Sectoral Committee on Electrical and Electronic Equipment (JSC EEE), a product working group under the ASEAN Consultative Committee of Standards and Quality. The JSC EEE has developed a mutual recognition arrangement (MRA) for this sector and is now overseeing the implementation of a harmonised regulatory regime.

The event provided an opportunity for the participants to discuss with the experts how they can comply with EEE MRA and implement EEE regulations.

The ASEAN EEE MRA, signed by ASEAN Trade Ministers in 2002, was developed to facilitate the elimination of technical barriers to and enhance trade of EEE in the region. The objective of the MRA is to permit participating member states to accept test reports and certifications issued by listed testing laboratories and certification bodies in ASEAN member states. This avoids duplication and results in cost saving.-VNA