What is standardization?
Standardization is a public-interest activity that aims to provide, by consensus, reference documents covering guidelines, rules, methods, and technical, qualitative or quantitative requirements relating to products, methods, services or practices. It aims to support economic development and innovation while taking sustainable development objectives into account.
Each country has its own institution responsible for standardization, and internationally there are several standardization bodies, such as:
In Mauritania, the body responsible for standardization is the National Office for Standardization and Metrology (ONANOR).
Standardization will enable Mauritania to provide stakeholders in industry, the economy and other sectors with references that help improve the quality, safety and efficiency of their products and services.
Applying standards is a crucial issue covering several aspects of the quality, safety and costs of products and services, since standards requirements are adopted according to economic, social and environmental needs.
How does the standardization process work?
This process begins by identifying the need for standards through a field study in the selected sector, according to state priorities. Consultation with stakeholders working in the sector helps identify their standards-related needs.
After identifying the standards to be developed, the Standardization Department prepares preliminary drafts, which are submitted to meetings of the technical committees established to develop draft Mauritanian standards. These meetings allow committee members to express their views on the preliminary drafts. Technical committee members represent the parties concerned by the proposed standards. The ONANOR representative acts as the technical committee’s secretary.
After the technical committees complete their work, a draft standard is prepared and submitted to public consultation. This gives other stakeholders who could not participate in the technical committee’s work an opportunity to comment on the draft Mauritanian standard. The consultation lasts at least 60 days.
Once the public consultation is complete, two outcomes are possible:
- The parties concerned reach a consensus on the content of the draft standards. In this case, the drafts may be approved by ministerial order to become official Mauritanian standards.
- There are differences and/or contradictions between the parties concerning the draft standard’s content. In this case, the National Council for Standardization and Quality Promotion arbitrates and proposes solutions for discussion at technical committee meetings. If the representatives of the parties concerned accept the council’s proposals, the draft standard may be approved by ministerial order to become an official Mauritanian standard.
Benefits of standards
- Reference in disputes between producers and consumers
- Guidance of efforts to protect public health, safety and the environment
- Facilitation of international trade
- Improvement of quality of life
- Combating counterfeiting
- Participation in selecting and developing normative references
- Facilitation of judicial procedures
- Guidance based on technical principles
- Facilitation of understanding requirements and needs
- Improvement of brand image
