Reply Accreditation is one of the requirements of the BIS Lab Recognition Scheme. Accreditation by signatories to APLAC/ILAC is acceptable.
New Zealand 19:
Report by the Secretariat (WT/TPR/S/249): para 201 203:
The BIS laboratory certification scheme appears to sit beside the NABL laboratory accreditation system. The NABL is internationally recognised by APLAC8 (and thus ILAC) as meeting the requirements of an accreditation body (international standard ISO/IEC 17011) and its laboratory accreditation system is in accordance with international standard ISO/IEC 17025 (paragraphs 201 202). BIS has a separate recognition scheme for laboratories that is 'in line with' ISO/IEC 17025 (paragraph 203), which appears to partially replicate the accreditation scheme run by NABL.
We would like to know what the relationship between the two schemes is; in particular, what degree of replication is there in the BIS scheme of the NABL scheme?
We would like to know what additional assessment against ISO/IEC 17025 is required for BIS 'recognition' for a laboratory that already has NABL accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025, and what value India believes the additional layers of assessment and surveillance add.
Reply: NABL accreditation is test wise. BIS recognition is generally product wise. Sometimes a labl may not have all tests for a product covered under their accreditation so BIS may undertake additional assessment. BIS Lab Recognition Scheme is a scheme to support BIS product certification while NABL is the accreditation body.
NORWAY
Please find below questions from Norway on the occasion of the Trade Policy Review of India. All questions relate to the Secretariat report.
Norway1:
III. Trade Policies by Measure:
III. 2.i – Customs Procedures, page 37, para 12:
According to the text, India Customs grants special clearance procedures under the Accredited Client`s Programme (ACP) to importers with a good track record and complying with the qualifying criteria, allowing them to self assess their consignments with no need for Customs examinations. Has India considered applying the same clearance procedures to exporters, in order to enable exporters to make a self declaration for instance on the origin of their consignments.
Reply: The Risk Management System has not been launched on the export side. The export RMS will be launched shortly. It is expected that the Accredited Client's Programme will be introduced for exports after the launching of RMS.
