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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Commerce
Secretary Donald L. Evans released a report today to reduce
standards-related trade
barriers and called for broader collaboration across government
and with U.S. industry to prevent technical obstacles that
impede U.S. exports.
“Standards and related technical regulations affect
an estimated 80 percent of world trade,” Evans told
an audience of industry and standards community representatives. “The
recommendations in this report can improve how we tackle
standards-related issues that distort trade and undermine
our competitiveness.”
“We have good news to tell today,” Evans said, “and
there are more improvements to come. We’re committed
to ensuring that standards are fair and responsive to market
and technology needs. In many ways, this is the beginning
of a new Commerce partnership with industry to combat standards
as trade barriers to American goods and services.”
“In the face of intensifying global competition, neither
industry nor government can be complacent about standards-related
issues,” said Under Secretary for Technology Phil Bond. “The
Secretary’s Standards Initiative emphasizes best practices,
provides critical education and training, expands our early
warning tools, and creates greater collaboration with industry
and government. Collectively, these actions will go a long
way towards an effective rapid response system when standards
become trade barriers.”
The new report,
Standards and Competitiveness—Coordinating
for Results, contains more than 50 recommendations. The report
also summarizes key industry standards issues in international
markets. Some of this information was gathered from more
than 200 industry associations and standards organizations
in 13 industry roundtables convened over the past year.
The report seeks
to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Department’s
standards-related programs and policies. Its recommendations
will help the Department identify
new opportunities and better ways to work with the private
sector and other U.S. government agencies on standards-related
issues.
In March 2003, Evans launched the Department of Commerce
Standards Initiative, an eight-point plan that responds to
industry concerns that divergent standards, redundant testing
and compliance procedures, and regulatory red tape are becoming
one of the greatest challenges to expanding exports.
The report can be accessed at http://www.technology.gov
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