The support programme aimed at the activation of intra-regional quality infrastructure agreements in support of market access and improved trade performance. The project was also in support to the development of an optimized quality infrastructure in the Pacific region for enhanced trade competitiveness.

Two-fold purposes: To contribute to the activation of intra-regional quality infrastructure agreements in support of market access and improved trade performance; and to support the development of an optimized quality infrastructure in the Pacific region for enhanced trade competitiveness.

Four-fold outputs:

1. Comparative analysis document on practices for the preparation, adoption and application of regional Standards and Technical Regulations in CARICOM and the EU;
2. Technical Guide on Regulations and Standards related to packaging and labelling;
3. Needs assessment document on sustainability standards and associated conformity assessments in CARICOM; Study and knowledge-sharing tour to ARSO;
4. Feasibility study document on sustainability standards based on ARSO model.

Intervention areas:

• Inter-regional Quality Infrastructure;
• North-South QI assessment of practices in CARICOM and the European Union;
• Relationship building between the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) and European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) and the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC);
• Development of specific regulations in the CARICOM region, and provide means to build capacity in CARICOM private sector, specifically in the area of standards development on packaging and labelling;
• Development of trans-ACP research and trade capacity building networks, and reinforced complementarities on the intra-ACP level;
• South - South QI Cooperation will be reinforced between CARICOM and the:
• African Union (AU) - this cooperation will be facilitated through relationship - building between CROSQ and the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) in the area of QI; and
• Pacific Island Forum (PIF) - this cooperation will be facilitated through relationship building between CROSQ and the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat (PIFS), in the area of QI.

Purpose 1 - Contribute to the activation of intra-regional quality infrastructure agreements in support of market access and improved trade performance

• A desk-based research (supplemented by a minor survey) on the standardization practices in Europe, carried out by the European Standardization System (ESS);
• A desk-based research and a survey (supplemented by selected interviews) on the present situation with regard to standards development and implementation in CARICOM undertaken;
• Comprehensive comparability research report, comparing standardization practices in the European region and CARICOM resulting in twenty-two (22) recommendations for CROSQ to consider in the further development of the CARICOM Regional Quality Infrastructure (RQI) prepared;
• An Analysis Matrix elaborated, identifying differences within twelve (12) subjects;
• Survey carried out in relation to standardization;
• The regulations related to foodstuffs studied and the guide elaborated accordingly;
• Three (3)-day regional validation and training workshop in CARICOM successfully held;
• One-day training on EU regulation for packaging and labelling held;
• Two-day workshop successfully held in Saint Lucia January 21-22, 2020 supplemented by a 1-day training on EU regulation regarding Packaging and Labelling;
• Materials for presentation based on the comparative research report and sustainability study report (including Power Point presentations and group work introductions) prepared and delivered;
• Training materials on the general principles of packaging and labelling in accordance with EU regulation (Power Point presentations and introductions to group work) prepared and delivered;
• A Comprehensive Technical Guide prepared to ensure compliance with relevant EU Standards and Regulation related to packaging and labelling of foodstuffs to be exported to the European market;
• Desk-based research on sustainability standards undertaken;
• Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) and their relation to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) outlined;
• Basic information on the African Eco-labelling Mechanism and the ARSO-based certification scheme for ECOMARK Africa (EMA) gathered;
• Feasibility Study on Sustainability Standards and related Conformity Assessment Report for CROSQ produced and shared during consultation meetings;
• Four (4) days Study Visit to ARSO carried out where the participants visited ARSO Headquarters and also 3 field visits in Kenya:
  • A fish farm, Kamuthanga (Aquaculture scheme);
  • A coffee warehouse and sales company, Coffee Management Services (CMS) (Agriculture scheme; monitoring thousands of small coffee farmers); and
  • A coffee farm, KOFINAF Coffee Growers and Millers (Agriculture scheme),
• Feasibility Study was presented in Saint Lucia Workshop in the second workshop day on 22 January 2020.

Purpose 2            Support the development of an optimized quality infrastructure in the Pacific region for enhanced trade competitiveness

• Quality Infrastructure Awareness and Capacity Building materials produced;
• Desk Review PIFS material from UNIDO on QI;
• Preparation workshop training materials for the five-day PIF regional Quality Infrastructure training and dissemination materials prepared;
• The Pacific Quality Infrastructure Regional Workshop was held in Nadi – Fiji from 02 to 06 September 2019;
• Produce Quality Infrastructure Awareness and Capacity Building Materials prepared and delivered at the workshop;
• Video on the results of the support programme prepared and disseminated to the beneficiaries in the three main regions. (https://youtu.be/GQ65kuI7WNA)