Study on Mutual Recognition Models for the ASEAN Agricultural Best Practices Final Report SUBMITTED BY: Fintrac Inc. 1400 16th Street NW Washington DC 20036 USA 202-462-8475 www.fintrac.com Adam Keatts, Team Leader Jackie Boardman, Standards Expert Danny Burrows, Trade Expert REVISED VERSION SUBMITTED ON: April 25, 2017 Study on Mutual Recognition Models for the ASEAN Agricultural Best Practices Table of Contents List of Acronyms ............................................................................................................................ i Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... 1 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 3 1.1 Basic Principles of Regulatory Cooperation ................................................................................................................. 3 1.2 The Interdependence of Standards and Conformity Assessment Procedures .................................................. 4 1.3 The Importance of Institutional Capacity .................................................................................................................... 4 2. Overview of Good Practice for Agri-Food Standards and Conformity Assessment Systems .......................................................................................................................................... 6 2.1 Food Safety Regulations and Standards ...................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 Conformity Assessment Procedures– Accreditation, Certification, Testing, Inspection ................................... 8 2.3 Institutional Requirements and Other Issues ........................................................................................................... 11 3. Overview of Existing ASEAN Guidelines .......................................................................... 13 3.1 ASEAN Policy Guidelines on Standards and Conformance ................................................................................. 13 3.2 ASEAN Guidelines for the Design, Operation, Assessment, and Accreditation of Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems ........................................................................................................................... 13 3.3 ASEAN Guidelines for Accreditation and Conformity Assessment .................................................................... 14 4. Analysis of Existing Mutual Recognition Models ............................................................... 15 4.1 Examples of Mutual Recognition within ASEAN .................................................................................................... 15 4.2 Examples of Mutual Recognition outside ASEAN .................................................................................................. 20 4.3 Matrix Comparing Existing Models for Mutual Recognition ............................................................................... 30 4.4 Lessons Learned for Mutual Recognition .................................................................................................................. 31 5. Quantitative Data Analysis ................................................................................................. 33 5.1 Production and trade volume in target sub-sectors across AMS ....................................................................... 33 5.2 Balance of Trade Analysis: Intra-ASEAN and World-ASEAN trade .................................................................. 34 5.3 Direction of Trade and Key Bilateral Relationships ............................................................................................... 37 6. Assessment of AMS Standards and Conformity Assessment Systems .......................... 40 6.1 Standards System Management ................................................................................................................................. 40 6.2 Current Infrastructure for Standards and Conformity Assessment Implementation ................................... 42 6.3 Challenges Reported by Stakeholders ....................................................................................................................... 43 7. Private Sector Market Survey ............................................................................................ 45 7.1 Key Takeaways for Engaging the Private Sector .................................................................................................... 45 7.2 Background and Overview ............................................................................................................................................ 46 7.3 Structured Survey - Buy-Side Companies .................................................................................................................. 47 7.4 Strategic Discussions - Private Sector Partners ....................................................................................................... 55 8. Recommendations for Regional Mutual Recognition Mechanism .................................. 60 8.1 Initial Recommendations for Possible Models for Mutual Recognition ............................................................ 60 8.2 First Revision of Recommended MRA Model Based on AMS Feedback ......................................................... 71 Produced by Fintrac Inc. Study on Mutual Recognition Models for the ASEAN Agricultural Best Practices 8.3 Final Revision of Recommended MRA Model Based on AMS Feedback ........................................................ 74 8.4 Four Year Work Plan to Implement the Recommended Model ........................................................................ 80 8.5 Work Plan 2: MRA Technical Committee Action Items ....................................................................................... 84 Annex 1: List of Respondents to AMS Standards Admin Survey ........................................... 86 Annex 2: Private Sector Market Survey Questionnaire .......................................................... 88 Annex 3: Background of Existing Standards Alignment Guidelines ...................................... 90 Annex 4: Adapting the ASOA Equivalence Matrix for Assessment of Alignment with ASEAN Standards ....................................................................................................................... 91 Annex 5: Links to Existing ASEAN MRAs................................................................................. 92 Produced by Fintrac Inc. Study on Mutual Recognition Models for the ASEAN Agricultural Best Practices List of Acronyms AADCP II ASEAN Australia Development Cooperation Partnership II AB Accreditation Body ACA Accredited Certifying Agent ACCSQ ASEAN Consultative Committee on Standards and Quality ACCSTP ASEAN Common Competency Standards for Tourism Professionals AEC ASEAN Economic Community AHEEERR ASEAN Harmonized Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulatory Regime ALOP Appropriate Level of Protection AMAF ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry AMC Approved Modified Checklist AMS ASEAN Member States ANZFA Australia-New Zealand Food Authority APEC Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation ASEAN Association of South East Asian Nation ASWG ASEAN Sector Working Group ATPMC ASEAN Tourism Professional Monitoring Committee ATPRS ASEAN Tourism Professionals Registration System ATQEM ASEAN Tourism Qualifications Equivalency Matrix BCA Board for Conformity Assessment CAB Conformity Assessment Body CAC Codex Alimentarius Commission CATC Common ASEAN Tourism Curriculum CB Certification Body CBA Competency-based Assessment CCC China Compulsory Certification CJRF Cross-Jurisdictional Review Forum DB Designating Body EU European Union EWG Expert Working Group GABSC GCC Accreditation Body Steering Committee GAC Gulf Accreditation Center GAP Good Agriculture Practices GAHP Good Animal Husbandry Practices GAqP Good Aquaculture Practices GCC Gulf Cooperation Council GMP Good Manufacturing Practice HACCP Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points IAF International Accreditation Forum ILAC International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation IPPC International Plant Protection Convention ISO International Standards Organization JM Joint Meeting JSC Joint Sectoral Committee Multilateral Arrangement for the Mutual Recognition of Agri-food Standards and MAMRASCA Conformity Assessment MARCA Multilateral Arrangement on Recognition of Conformity Assessment MLA Multilateral Recognition Arrangement/Agreement Produced by Fintrac Inc. | i Study on Mutual Recognition Models for the ASEAN Agricultural Best Practices MRA Mutual Recognition Arrangement/Agreement MRA-TP ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Tourism Professionals NAB National Accreditation Body NDRA National Drug Regulatory Authority NTPB National Tourism Professional Board NTB Non-Tariff Barrier to Trade OIE World Organization for Animal Health/Organization International Epizootic PAC Pacific Accreditation Cooperation PFPWG ASEAN Prepared Foodstuff Product Working Group RCAS Regional Conformity Assessment Scheme RTA Regional Trade Agreement SAARC South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SARSO South Asian Regional Standards Organization SCAC Sectoral Conformity Assessment Committees SME Small and Medium Sized Enterprises SPS