The diversity with respect to national regulations, standardization and conformity certification procedures has a barrier-to-trade effect. Sometimes it discourages trade but it always means an increase of costs. Exporting enterprises are obliged to adapt their products to different requirements...

Standardization, quality assurance and conformity assessment, accreditation and metrology are narrowly related activities which have a decisive role in a functional and secure market. Thus, they are frequently considered together, usually referred as SQAM services. They are also activities which...