Australia’s technical infrastructure
Consistent with Australia’s obligations under the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (WTO TBT) Agreement, Australia seeks to influence and adopt international practice where possible.
This includes policies that promote alignment with international standards and mechanisms to facilitate recognition of measurement standards and conformity assessment results.
Australia’s technical infrastructure works within international and regional frameworks to ensure we are on the cutting edge of standards and conformance policy. The infrastructure makes trade between nations and within Australia safer and fairer and reduces the technical and often costly barriers to trade. Our infrastructure includes governmental, standards and conformance bodies that collaborate to provide a cohesive and effective approach to standards and conformance policy.
The Department of Industry, Science and Resources is the Australian Government’s lead organisation for standards and conformance policy issues.
Key Australian standards and conformance organisations that operate within this policy context are:
- National Measurement Institute (NMI) – a division of the Department of Industry, Science and Resources
- Standards Australia – a membership-based, independent, not-for-profit standards development organisation
- National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) – a membership-based, not-for-profit organisation
- Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand (JASANZ) – a bi-national government owned accreditation body.
Role in the technical infrastructure
The department is committed to working with stakeholders and industry to deliver economic benefits to ensure our competitive future. The department seeks to facilitate international trade, improving market access for Australian industry by breaking down technical and regulatory barriers to trade. It also plays& a significant role in promoting the adoption of international standards and the mutual recognition of conformity assessment results.
The department is also the home of the NMI, the body responsible for Australia’s scientific and legal metrology activities.
Structure and governance
The Department of Industry, Science and Resources consolidates the Australian Government’s efforts to drive economic growth, productivity and competitiveness by bringing together industry, resources and science. The department is accountable to the Australian Parliament through the relevant industry portfolio.
Operations
The Department of Industry, Science and Resources maintains policy oversight of Australia’s technical infrastructure. This includes the administration of the Support for Industry Service Organisations (SISO) grant program and the government’s Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Standards Australia and NATA.
The MoUs provide Standards Australia and NATA with peak body recognition by the Australian Government. The MoUs also recognise Standards Australia and NATA as the Australian members of key international standards and conformance bodies [e.g. International Organization for Standardization (ISO), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated].
The MoUs require these organisations to act in a way that is consistent with Australia’s international obligations under the WTO TBT Agreement. In particular, standards should be based on international standards (where appropriate), conformity assessment test results should be accepted internationally, and mutual recognition should be pursued internationally.
The SISO Grant Program is a long running initiative of the Australian Government. Its purpose is to ensure continuing Australian participation in and representation on, key international standards and conformance bodies. The SISO Grant Program delivers funding to Standards Australia and NATA to support this activity.
The department also plays a role in the governance of Standards Australia and JASANZ via participation on the Standards Australia’s Standards Development and Accreditation Committee, and the Board of JASANZ.
International engagement
The Department of Industry, Science and Resources participates in the drafting and negotiation of Technical Barriers to Trade chapters for bilateral and multilateral Free Trade Agreements (FTAs).
The department is also responsible for the oversight and management of the Trans-Tasman, European Community (EC), European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and Singapore Mutual Recognition Arrangements/ Agreements (MRAs). MRAs help to facilitate trade by reducing the need to duplicate product testing. This can reduce costs and improve ‘time to market’ for Australian exporters.
Regional cooperation
The Department of Industry, Science and Resources represents Australia on the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Sub-Committee on Standards and Conformance (APEC SCSC). The department works closely with NMI, Standards Australia, NATA, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and other stakeholders to canvas Australia’s policy positions on issues and projects raised in the APEC SCSC.
APEC SCSC work has a cooperative focus and is entirely consensus based. The APEC SCSC agenda aligns with the WTO TBT Agreement and aims to encourage and facilitate the following:
- the adoption of, or harmonisation with, international standards (so that exporters only need to design products to one standard thus reducing development costs)
- the recognition of conformity assessment procedures (to reduce the cost of testing and compliance by not requiring re-testing in the importing country)
- the promotion of good regulatory practices (to help ensure that standards and conformance related regulations are developed in a trade friendly manner)
- greater transparency (to share information on the implementation of new and existing regulatory requirements and allow for meaningful consultation)
- capacity building within the region (to help developing economies to meet their obligations under the WTO TBT Agreement and develop relevant institutions and capacity).
Under the AANZFTA, the department represents the Commonwealth on the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area, Sub-committee on standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures (AANZFTA SC-STRACAP), which reduces technical barriers to trade by promoting regulatory transparency, harmonisation with international standards, and mutual recognition of conformity‑assessment results. Through targeted capacity‑building initiatives, the department strengthens ASEAN partners’ standards and conformance systems, supporting more predictable, efficient market access for Australian exporters and contributing to deeper regional economic integration.