Reducing Trade Transaction Costs: Harmonization of Standards and Conformity Assessments in APEC

The study, conducted for the Sub-Committee on Standards and Conformance (SCSC), found that APEC member economies are increasingly aligning their technical regulations and domestic standards with international standards, particularly for electrical and electronic products, thereby reducing the likelihood of their constituting technical barriers to trade in the region. Manufacturers therefore have greater certainty in standards compliance, allowing for the realization of economies of scale in production, while exporters have reduced transaction costs in the form of reduced compliance costs.

 

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1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

2. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY

3. FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS ON THE KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

4. CONCLUSIONS

APPENDIX