The cabinet meeting held on September 2 decided to get full membership of ISO by paying a fee of Rs 2.5 million. At present, Nepal, as a corresponding member of ISO, can access only the basic information from the global proprietary industrial and commercial standard-setting body.
Nepal became corresponding member of ISO more than two decades ago. [break]
Krishna Gyawali, secretary at the Ministry of Industry, said full-fledged ISO membership will help the country enhance competitiveness of it products in the international markets. “Also, Nepal will have the opportunity to take part in the policymaking process of standardizing the products and processes,” he said. “We can also promote Nepali products during bilateral talks held at the sidelines of the ISO general assembly.”
Gyawali and Ram Adhar Sah, director general of Nepal Bureau of Standards & Metrology (NBSM), will take part in the 36th general assembly of ISO to be held in Saint Petersburg, Russia next week.
Nepal will get access to the knowledge of ISO standards and technicalities while participating in the general assembly and also get the opportunity to participate in the special technical committees, Bishwa Babu Pudasaini, acting director general of NBSM, said. “This will greatly enhance expertise of the government entities as well as the private sector,” said Pudasaini.
The quality certification issued by NBSM is valid only within Nepal. ISO covers more than more than 19,500 international standards of almost all aspects of technology and business.
Officials hope the ISO membership will set the state for forming an accreditation council in the country to issue quality certification for Nepali products. However, the Accreditation Bill, which will form the accreditation council, is gathering dust in the parliament.
Janardan Ghimire, lead auditor and tutor of ISO 9001, said Nepal does not have national accreditation organization for certification of ISO standard in the country.
Ghimire is affiliated to National Certification and Management Nepal, a Kathmandu-based organization which helps to get accreditation through UK-based UKAF and certification through BM TRADA.
In the absence of a national accreditation organization, several companies are compelled to go to India for accreditation. Among SAARC countries, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and the Maldives do not have their own national accreditation agency.
Pashupati Murarka, a vice-president of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, welcomed the decision to take full-fledged ISO membership.
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