Report by the Secretariat (WT/TPR/S/249): Part III. Trade Policies and Practices by Measure: (2) Measures Directly Affecting Imports; (ix) Technical regulations and standards: (c) Certification and conformity assessment: paragraph 108, page 70:
The Secretariat's Report indicates that, "In order to implement its certification schemes, the BIS conducts conformity testing through its central laboratory at Sahibabad (near Delhi), and four regional and three branch laboratories". BIS laboratories have test facilities for most products under the Certification Marks Scheme. In addition to the BIS laboratories, services are provided by 115 national laboratories recognized under the BIS Laboratory Recognition Scheme.
Could India please confirm whether the laboratories recognized under the BIS Laboratory Recognition Scheme could be authorized to conduct the same scope of conformity testing as the central laboratory and seven regional/branch laboratories? If not, could India explain any restrictions on the scope of conformity testing that the former laboratories can undertake?
Reply: Yes. The labs are recognized under BIS Lab Recognition Scheme for specific Indian standards and for such standards these recognized laboratories could be authorized to conduct the same scope of conformity testing as central laboratory and other seven labs.
In addition to the 115 national laboratories, are there any foreign laboratories recognized under the BIS Laboratory Recognition Scheme? Do the same recognition procedures apply to foreign laboratories as to national laboratories or are there any restrictions on the recognition of foreign laboratories?
