Assessing Competitiveness In Moldova's Economy - Economic Growth

Development Alternatives, Inc. Moldova Competitiveness Assessment: Quality Assurance Infrastructure
The Department of Standardization and Metrology (DSM) is the only body authorized to
adopt standards and represent Moldova in international quality forums. However, in practice,
ministries, other governmental departments, and other economic entities draft the standards
for adoption. The Department also holds the national reference standards used in legal
metrology, and sets rules and policies for the operation of certification bodies and testing
labs. As many as 80 state inspectors report to the Department. Their market surveillance role
includes continuous and periodical inspection of production processes at all companies in
Moldova, regardless of whether or not the company has the proper certification. Finally, five
state certification and testing enterprises report to the Department.
Three of the five enterprises—the National Institute of Standardization and Metrology
(NISM), the Northern Center for Standardization and Metrology in Balti, and the Southern
Center for Standardization and Metrology in Ceadir-Lunga—provide testing, calibration, and
certification services to enterprises. They also sell standards. The certification services differ,
as shown in the chart.
In January of 2004, in line with the Law on Conformity Assessment, the accreditation
function, which was separated from the Department of Standardization and Metrology, was
established as an independent body. This body reports to an accreditation council made up of
representatives of seven ministries, the DSM, conformity assessment bodies, labs,
manufacturers associations, and educational and scientific institutions, with the Minister of
Economy as head of the council. The DSM is the only agency that is authorized to select
notified bodies of conformity assessment, with the condition that such bodies are accredited
by the Accreditation Center.
Standards and Standardization
Over the years, Moldova adopted more than 18,000 GOST standards 5. In principle, all of
them are mandatory; in practice, however, fewer than 5,000 of them are used or enforced.
Common adherence to these standards supports trade of goods among all CIS countries.
Looking west, though, the DSM has adopted only some 200 international standards as
Moldovan standards in the past six or seven years. Most of these international standards were
adopted from Romanian standards that, in turn, were based on international standards.
Standards in developed countries are voluntary, but may be used as a means of conforming to
technical regulations.
The expectation in 1999 was that by 2002 Moldova would have adopted enough international
standards and that their technical regulations would be based entirely on voluntary standards
according to the new approach model. In its Law on Standardization, the government later set
a deadline of January 2005 for eliminating mandatory standards and establishing technical
regulations based on voluntary internationally harmonized standards.
At this pace of standardization and adoption of technical regulations, it is unlikely that the
government will be able to meet this commitment. The slow pace can be attributed to the lack
5 GOST standards are originally Soviet standards that are still common to all CIS countries.
July 2004 • DRAFT Page 4