REPORT OF THE SIXTH MEETING OF THE ACCSQ WOOD-BASED PRODUCT WORKING GROUP
21-22 November 2007, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
INTRODUCTION
1. The Sixth Meeting of the ASEAN Consultative Committee for Standards
and Quality (ACCSQ) Wood-based Product Working Group (WBPWG) was held from 21-22 November 2007 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
2. The Meeting was chaired by Dr. Hadi Daryanto, Secretary of Director
General of Forest Utilisation, Ministry of Forestry, Republic of Indonesia.
3. The Meeting was attended by delegates from Brunei Darussalam,
Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia and a representative from the
ASEAN Secretariat. The list of delegates appears as ANNEX 1.
OPENING CEREMONY
4. The Meeting was officiated by Dato’ Mohd Nazuri Hashim Shah,
Director-General of the Malaysian Timber Industry Board. The welcoming speech from STANDARDS MALAYSIA was read by Mr Rajinder Raj, Director of Standards, on behalf of Ms Fadilah Baharin, Director-General of
STANDARDS MALAYSIA. The speeches appear as ANNEX 2.
AGENDA ITEM 1: ADOPTION OF AGENDA
5. The Meeting adopted the Agenda, which appears as ANNEX 3.
AGENDA ITEM 2: BUSINESS ARRANGEMENT
6. The Meeting was held in plenary.
AGENDA ITEM 3: UPDATES FROM ASEAN SECRETARIAT ON RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN ECONOMIC INTEGRATION
7. The ASEAN Secretariat updated the Meeting that the ASEAN Charter
was signed by the ASEAN Leaders at the 13th ASEAN Summit held in
Singapore. The Leaders had also signed the Leaders Declaration on the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint. The ASEAN Secretariat information
8. The ASEAN Secretariat informed the Meeting that the quorum for ASEAN economic meetings as decided by the SEOM was for at least six Member Countries to be present to ensure consensus at these meetings.
9. The Meeting agreed that despite not being able to meet the quorum, the
WBPWG should continue to meet as there were a number of significant areas for discussion and collective actions such as enhancing the capability of the testing and accreditation bodies more importantly to facilitate extra-ASEAN trade. The Meeting noted that there was a need for a common position for some of the issues affecting trade particularly with the importing countries which have instituted administrative roadblocks of export of these products from this region. The Meeting agreed that the WBPWG should have greater emphasis on several issues affecting extra-ASEAN trade.
10. The Meeting requested the WBPWG Secretariat to prepare a proposal
to the ACCSQ stressing the need to have support from the ACCSQ to ensure that the WBPWG continues to meet to discuss issues on integration of wood-based products sector even if the quorum is not met. The Meeting requested the ASEAN Secretariat to bring this matter up to the ACCSQ and subsequently to the attention of the SEOM.
AGENDA ITEM 4: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 5th WOOD-BASED PRODUCT
WORKING GROUP MEETING
11. The Secretary of WBPWG briefed the Meeting of the relevant decisions
made by the 5th WBPWG held from 11-12 July 2007 in Bandar Seri Begawan,
Brunei Darussalam. The Secretary’s information paper appears as ANNEX 5.
AGENDA ITEM 5: TRANSPARENCY OF WOOD-BASED PRODUCTS’ STANDARDS, TECHNICAL REGULATIONS, AND CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES
5.1 Networking among ASEAN Countries on standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures
12. The Meeting noted the status of exchange of information from Indonesia
and Malaysia. The information paper of Indonesia and Malaysia respectively
appear as ANNEX 6 and 7.
13. Indonesia updated the Meeting on the revised regulation on export of
forest-based products. Indonesia also provided the latest list of Certification Bodies and Laboratories accredited by KAN (National Accreditation Body of Indonesia).
14. Malaysia updated the Meeting on the progress of the development of
5.2 Networking of ASEAN Member Countries with non-ASEAN trading partners on standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures
15. Malaysia updated the Meeting on latest development on the following
issues:
i) import requirements of plywood by Taiwan,
ii) progress of revision of EN 636 – Plywood specification; and
iii) proposed classification of borates under Category 2 – Dangerous
Substances by EC.
The information paper appears as ANNEX 8.
16. Malaysia updated the Meeting on the latest development regarding
Taiwan’s requirements for import of plywood. With regards to recognition of certification bodies, the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI) of Taiwan, the Meeting was updated that BSMI would consider engaging agreement with individual Member Countries in the spirit of APLAC for recognition of testing and Certification Bodies of Member Countries.
17. Malaysia briefed the Meeting on the proposal by the EC to upgrade the
classification of borates from category 3 to Category 2 under the EC’s Dangerous Substances Directive. Category 2 substances must carry the skull and crossbones label. The rationale behind this move is to protect human health and the environment. The proposed date of implementation is 1 June 2009. Category 2 classification will have far-reaching consequences and may result in trade restrictive measures as well as trigger serious consequences under the Registration Evaluation Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), resulting in possible rejection of wood-based products treated with borates such as furniture from rubber-wood.
18. Malaysia reported that she has raised this concern at the last WTO/TBT
meeting held in July and November 2007. In this regard, the Meeting agreed to the proposal by Malaysia that ASEAN should have a common position and continue to raise this concern at appropriate fora. The Meeting also agreed to raise this concern to the ACCSQ for their support and subsequently to the attention of SEOM as it has wide implication on the extra-ASEAN trade of such products.
AGENDA ITEM 6: IDENTIFICATION OF AREAS FOR HARMONISATION OF STANDARDS, TECHNICAL REGULATIONS AND CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES
6.1 Comparative study on standards, technical regulations and
conformity assessment procedures of ASEAN Member Countries
19. Malaysia presented to the Meeting the update on Comparative Study of
Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Based on this study, Malaysia concluded that there is no evidence of any serious trade restrictive technical regulation for trade of timber and timber products within ASEAN.
6.2 Harmonisation of standards, technical regulations and
conformity assessment for identified areas
20. The Meeting took note that the WBPWG had identified wood-based
panel, sawn timber and flooring as priority areas for harmonisation of standards. The ASEAN Secretariat was requested to follow-up on the status of harmonisation with WG 1 and update the WBPWG at the next meeting.
21. The representative from the ASEAN Furniture Industries Council (AFIC)
presented a proposal for the consideration of the Meeting on the following issues:
i) harmonisation or alignment of regional standards with the option
to modify according to the national needs; and
ii) consider admitting AFIC as one of its permanent delegates.
The information paper appears as ANNEX 9
22. Cambodia and Loa PDR expressed their reservation on the first proposal and will consult their relevant authorities. The Meeting agreed to seek the guidance of the ACCSQ on the participation of AFIC as well as other relevant associations at the WBPWG meetings.
AGENDA ITEM 7: OTHER MATTERS
7.1 EU Assistance in the wood based sector for ASEAN
23. The Meeting requested the ASEAN Secretariat to propose to the APRIS
II consultants on the possibility of extending the technical assistance to Member Countries on capacity building for wood testing laboratories and certification bodies leading to the recognition of these bodies as Notified Bodies.
24. The Meeting was updated on the Study Training proposed within the
framework of the APRIS II Programme for standards personnel of Member Countries to visit the CEN offices in Europe to gain a better understanding of the EU Legislation on wood as well as development of standards. Under this training programme only seven participants from Member Countries will be sponsored. Member Countries would be allowed to send more participants at their own cost.
25. The Meeting agreed to the proposal by the ASEAN Secretariat to have
reap maximum benefit of getting wider participation from the Member Countries. Speakers from the EU could be invited to make presentations on the EU Legislation on wood products as well as to give guidance to the Member Countries to enhance the capability of the wood testing laboratories and certification bodies. The ASEAN Secretariat was requested to forward the proposal to APRIS II for their consideration.
7.2 Proposals to AADCP for technical assistance
26. The ASEAN Secretariat informed the Meeting that the two proposals for
technical assistance from the AADCP has been forwarded to the AADCP for their consideration. The ASEAN Secretariat will update the WBPWG at the next Meeting on the progress on this matter.
AGENDA ITEM 8: CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF THE WBPWG WORK PROGRAMME
27. The Meeting considered and adopted the revised Work Programme of
the WBPWG, which appears as ANNEX 10.
28. Malaysia updated the Meeting on the list of accredited certification and
testing bodies of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. The Meeting was informed that Brunei Darussalam had no accredited testing facilities for wood-based products. The list of accredited certification and
testing bodies appear as ANNEX 11. The list will be posted in the ASEAN
website.
AGENDA ITEM 9: DATE AND VENUE OF THE NEXT MEETING
29. The Meeting agreed that the 7th Meeting of the ACCSQ Wood-based
Product Working Group will be convened in Bali, Indonesia on May 2008. The exact date and venue will be communicated in due course.
AGENDA ITEM 10: CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF REPORT
30. The Meeting considered and adopted the Report of the 6th Meeting of
the ACCSQ Wood-Based Product Working Group held from 21-22 November 2007 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The Meeting was held in the traditional spirit of ASEAN cooperation and cordiality.
