Indonesia Hosts the 59th ACCSQ Meeting, Supports ASEAN as the Epicentrum of Growth

Jakarta, 13 June 2023 - In line with the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2023, through the National Standardisastion Agency (BSN), Indonesia hosted the 59th ASEAN Consultative Committee on Standards and Quality (ACCSQ). This is a meeting of sectoral bodies in the field of Standardisastion and Conformity Assessment (SCA) within ASEAN.

The session was held for four days, starting from 13 to 16 June 2023 in Yogyakarta. It was officially opened by the Head of BSN Kukuh S. Achmad. Kukuh said that BSN, a Non-Ministerial Government Department (NMGD), is responsible for coordinating SCA to support ASEAN as the epicentrum of growth in accordance with the theme of Indonesia’s ASEAN Chairmanship this year “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth”.

ACCSQ noted that many initiatives have been agreed upon in ASEAN, especially in the field of Standardisastion and conformity assessment. One example is the product acceptance agreements in the region for various products, ranging from electronics to cosmetics, with medical devices, and automotive products to follow suit. However, there are still many follow-up actions that need to be taken. One of them is the action plan of the Joint Sectoral Committee for Electronic and Electrical Equipment (JSC EEE). The committee will conduct a study to map regional trade in the EEE sector that has utilized laboratory test reports and/or certificates issued by registered Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) in ASEAN.

In the global context, ASEAN Member States need to anticipate the world economic issues considering the threats of an economic recession due to escalating geopolitical situations such as the Russia – Ukraine conflict, the China – United States trade war, and follow-up actions within the G20 framework, including sustainable energy, digital transformation, and health architecture. “And the role of ASEAN in these issues will certainly be difficult if ASEAN countries protect their trade and do not prioritize a mutually beneficial trade system,” Kukuh explained.

Furthermore, BSN has been mandated to develop the Roadmap of ASEAN Harmonised Standards to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which is one of the 16 Priority Economic Deliverables (PEDs) that Indonesia aims to achieve during its ASEAN Chairmanship this year.

Harmonised standards are needed to create harmony in ensuring product quality, especially for developing countries to compete at global level. Furthermore, harmonised standards and mutual acceptance of laboratory test results against those standards can ensure the presence of more competitive products to support equitable prosperity in ASEAN.

“BSN is committed to completing Indonesia’s PED, which is expected to support the increased productivity of trade in the ASEAN region through cost-efficient production while preserving sustainable resources and environmental protection,” Kukuh said.

Similarly, at the national level, the existing Indonesian National Standard (SNI) is believed to support the competitiveness of Indonesian products on the world stage, which is expected to improve the national economy.

This year’s ACCSQ meeting was a milestone in history as Timor-Leste attended the meeting for the first time as an Observer after being accepted in principle as the 11th member of ASEAN.

This also signifies the growing development of SCA within ASEAN, contributing to enhancing market access, facilitating product diversification, and increasing investment opportunities.

Overall, the progress of ACCSQ achievements will continue to be monitored through a monitoring and evaluation mechanism aligned with the ACCSQ Strategic Plan 2016 – 2025. This ensures that technical and policy issues can be periodically reported vertically to higher levels, such as the Senior Economic Officials Meeting (SEOM) and ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting (AEM), as well as horizontally to relevant sectoral bodies among other ASEAN pillars.

BSN also held a National Seminar entitled “The Role of SCA in Supporting ASEAN as the Epicentrum of Growth” on Monday (12 June 2023) as part of the same series of activities. The seminar aims to disseminate the commitment of Standardisastion and conformity assessment in its implementation within ASEAN.

Tautan Berita: Indonesia Hosts the 59th ACCSQ Meeting, Supports ASEAN as the Epicentrum of Growth