The Board of Conformity Assessment (BCA) has been established as per relevant provision of SAARC Agreement on Multilateral Arrangement on Recognition of Conformity Assessment (MARCA). The SAARC Member States signed the Agreement in the year 2011 and ratified by all SAARC Member States. The Agreement came into effect from 18 July 2017 and is aimed to facilitate the Parties to accept results of Conformity Assessment with a view to eliminate Technical Barriers to Trade within SAARC.
The BCA is responsible for planning, coordinating and monitoring of all conformity assessment work and will be reporting to the Governing Board of SARSO. The BCA will also be responsible for listing, suspension, withdrawal of Conformity Assessment Body (body which carries out inspection, testing or audit activities) in accordance with the Agreement.
The Sectoral Conformity Assessment Committees (SCAC), comprising of technical experts for the Conformity Assessment for the specified sector from Member states, will be established by BCA, as and when deemed necessary. The SCAC will ensure that its Conformity Assessment bodies are capable and remain capable of properly carrying out Conformity Assessment.
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