Technical regulations lay down compulsory requirements for product or service characteristics or their related processes and production methods. They have specific administrative provisions and conformity assessment requirements with which compliance is mandatory for safety, health, environmental control and consumer protection. The capacity to comply with international standards, norms and technical regulations underpins the potential for economic and industrial growth. Standards and conformity assessments are required to prevent the influx of substandard and injurious products into African markets and to improve the quality, and enhance potential access, of African products to export markets.
This policy brief examines the implications for regional integration that the strengthening of technical infrastructure capacity in African countries for metrology, standards, accreditation and conformity assessment and compliance could have for Africa's industrialisation efforts.