This document provides information about the South Asian Regional Standards Organisation (SARSO). SARSO was established in 2008 through an agreement signed by SAARC member states to promote regulatory cooperation and reduce technical barriers to trade. Its objectives include harmonizing technical standards, developing regional standards, encouraging the adoption of international standards, and facilitating mutual recognition of conformity assessments. SARSO's structure includes a Governing Board, Technical Management Board, and Secretariat. It is currently working on developing standards for various products and draft agreements on implementing regional standards and recognizing conformity assessments. The establishment of SARSO is expected to benefit regional trade and capacity building.

1. South Asian Regional Standards
Organisation (SARSO)
Chandan Bahl
Scientist ‘E’(International Relations)
Bureau of Indian Standards
India

2. Disclaimer: This is not a presentation by SARSO but it is
presentation of factual information on SARSO by BIS

3. ABOUT SAARC
 South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
(SAARC) was formally launched in 1985
 Its seven founding members are Bangladesh, Bhutan,
India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
Afghanistan joined SAARC in 2007
 The main objectives of SAARC are to place regional
cooperation on a firm foundation, accelerate the pace of
social and economic development of the countries, and
further the cause of peace, progress and stability in the
region.

4. TRADE AND REGULATORY COOPERATION
 With the increase in non-tariff barriers in trade,
countries/ regions need to look at ways to combat
them and thus Regulatory Cooperation assumes
importance.
 Harmonization of technical standards and mutual
recognition of conformity assessment procedures
between trading partners are forms of Regulatory
Cooperation that helps in removing the technical
barriers to trade and facilitates flow of goods and
services in the region.

5. ESTABLISHMENT OF SARSO- BACKGROUND
 SAARC Committee on Economic Cooperation (CEC) -
established in 1991, for identifying and implementing
programmes in the core area of economic and trade
cooperation.
 The Sub-Group on Standards and Quality working under the
auspices of the CEC in its 2nd meeting on 30-31 August 2006,
decided to set up the SAARC Standards Coordination
Board (SSCB), as a precursor to the setting up of the SAARC
Regional Standards Body
 SSCB comprised of a member from each of the National
Standards Body of the Member States

6. ESTABLISHMENT OF SARSO- BACKGROUND
 SSCB at its 3rd meeting held on 1-2 Nov 2007,
recommended for setting up of the SAARC Regional
Standards Body, to be formally named as the South Asian
Regional Standards Organization (SARSO)
 SSCB approved the text of the draft agreement for
establishment of SARSO

7. SARSO AGREEMENT
 The Agreement on the Establishment of the South Asia Regional
Standards Organization (SARSO), was signed at 15th SAARC
Summit held in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 2nd - 3rd August, 2008, by
the Foreign Ministers of the SAARC Member States
 The Agreement on establishment of SARSO has since been ratified
by all Member States with Afghanistan ratifying the Agreement in
May 2011.
 The Agreement on establishment of SARSO has entered into force
with effect from 25 August 2011 with issuance of Notification to this
effect by the SAARC Secretariat.
 SARSO is to be located in Dhaka, Bangladesh
 The first meeting of the Governing Board of SARSO is likely to be
held in December 2011 in Bangladesh

8. OBJECTIVES OF SARSO
 To promote and undertake harmonization of
national standards of the SAARC Member States with
a view to removing TBT and facilitate flow of goods
and services in the region
 To develop SAARC standards on the products of
regional/sub-regional interest
 To encourage the use of international standards
published by ISO, IEC, etc. by way of adoption, where
appropriate, as SAARC Standards

9. OBJECTIVES OF SARSO (Contd..)
 To encourage exchange of information and expertise
among the NSBs of the Member States in the fields of
Standardization and Conformity Assessment
 To facilitate capacity building among the Member
States in the fields of Standardization and
Conformity Assessment by way of training,
workshops, seminars, etc
 To act as a source of information for the Member
States on standards, regulations, conformity
assessment
 To present the common interests of the Member
States in the various international standardization
organisations

10. OBJECTIVES OF SARSO (Contd..)
 To establish mutually beneficial cooperation with the
relevant international and regional organizations as per
relevant SAARC guidelines
 To promote MRAs on Conformity Assessment Procedures
among the Member States
 To encourage sharing of facilities relating to conformity
assessment procedures among the Member States
 To explore the possibility of having a common mark of
conformity among the Member States
 To undertake any other task(s) as deemed appropriate.

11. STRUCTURE OF SARSO
The Organisation shall comprise of:
 Governing Board
 Technical Management Board (TMB)
 Director-General; and
 Secretariat.

12. Composition of Governing Board
 highest authority of SARSO vested with all powers
relating to its functioning.
 consists of the Heads of respective NSB of each Member
State. Each Member and his/her Alternate shall serve at
the pleasure of the appointing Member State.
 The Chairperson of TMB, the Secretary General of SAARC
or his representative and the Head of the Secretariat to
be the ex-officio Members of the Governing Board.

13. Functions of Governing Board (GB)
 GB may create and assign other entities, as and when
required, for the smooth operation of the activities of
SARSO
 In line with the objectives and functions of SARSO, GB
shall formulate policies for the effective functioning
of SARSO
 GB may also give directives and provide guidance to
the other organs of SARSO including TMB and
Sectoral Technical Committees.

14. Technical Management Board (TMB)
 consists of one technical expert nominated by each
NSB of the Member States.
 responsible for the planning, coordination and
monitoring of all the technical work of SARSO.
 may establish Sectoral Technical Committees (STC) as
and when deemed necessary for development of
harmonised standards
 scope and programme of work for each STC under
TMB shall be approved by GB
 shall meet at least annually preferably immediately
before GB meetings and submit its reports to GB

15. Director-General and the Secretariat
SARSO shall be headed by a Director-General who will
be appointed by the Governing Board for a period of
three years from among the nationals of the Member
States
 The Organisation shall have a Secretariat consisting of
officers and staff

16. ON GOING WORK
Development of SAARC Standards
 The following products have been identified for
harmonization/development of SAARC Standards:
Sugar Skimmed Milk Powder Biscuits
Instant Noodles Vegetable Ghee Electric Cables
Textile Fabric Jute Cement
Steel Tubes Structural Steel Toilet Soap
 Sector based approach adopted for harmonization/
development of SAARC standards with setting up of
Sectoral Technical Committees
(i) Food and Agricultural Products
(ii) Electrical, Electronics, Telecoms and IT
(iii) Jute, Textiles & Leather
(iv) Building Materials
(v) Chemical and Chemical Products

17. ON GOING WORK
Draft SAARC Agreement on Implementation of
Regional Standards
The objective of this agreement is to provide the
framework as well as the guiding principles for
implementation of the SAARC standards

18. ON GOING WORK
Draft SAARC Agreement on Multilateral Arrangement
on Recognition of Conformity Assessment
The objective of this Agreement is to facilitate SAARC
Member States to accept results of conformity
assessment

19. EXPECTED BENEFITS – INDIAN PERSPECTIVE
 Harmonization of national standards of the Member
States would help in removing the technical barriers
to trade and facilitate flow of goods and services in
the region
 Facilitate in projecting common interests of the
Member States in the various international
standardization organizations
 Facilitate acceptance of results of conformity
assessment amongst the countries in the region, and
 Facilitate capacity building among Member States

20. THANK YOU