Launch event of the Comparative Study of Indonesia’s and Germany’s QI Systems

The Comparative Study of Indonesia’s and Germany’s Quality Infrastructure Systems was published to shed light on both countries’ Quality Infrastructure (QI) systems, their similarities and differences and to foster a deeper mutual understanding. The study provides recommendations on what each country can learn and adopt from each other’s QI policies and regulations, as well as best practices to avoid unnecessary barriers to trade and facilitate market access for products. The recommendations cover topics such as technical regulations, mutual recognition of test results and certification, QI for circular economy and digital technologies.

 

The launch event provided a platform for regulators, industries, companies and associations to engage and discuss on the recommendations. The event was opened by Dr. Ole Janssen, Deputy Director General for Innovation and Technology Policy of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) and Dr. Sri Bimo Pratomo,  Head of the Center for Formulation, Application and Enforcement of Industrial Standardisation (P4SI) of the Indonesian Ministry of Industry (MoI). Dr. Janssen highlighted the importance of QI and Germany’s commitment to upholding the standards. He  underlined the importance of a shared understanding of the QI landscape in both countries. The message was echoed by Dr. Pratomo who emphasized Indonesia’s commitment to improving the national QI systems by strengthening collaboration between Germany and Indonesia.

 

The authors of the study, Mr. Christian Schoen from Mesopartner PartG, and Mrs. Ellia Kristiningrum from the National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia/BRIN, presented the main findings and recommendations of the study.

 

Please find further readings on the study here.

 

In a panel discussion led by Mr. Krisna Gupta from the Center for Indonesian Policy Studies, Dr. Dewi Komala, Deputy Director for Implementation System for Standards and Conformity Assessment, BSN, Dr. Jörg Seifarth, Project Coordinator International Advisory Services, German Institute for Standardisation (DIN), and Mr. Oliver Glatow, Senior Business Development Manager TÜV Nord Indonesia shared their views on the study and its recommendations.

 

 

 

 

 

QI Systems in Germany and Indonesia – A comparison

 

While Germany relies on deregulation or a combination of voluntary standards developed by the German Institute for Standardisation (DIN) and regulations to maintain product safety, Indonesia ensures standards through the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) formulated by the National Standardization Agency (BSN), with some mandatory enforcements by the government. Despite these differences, Dr. Seifarth from DIN and Dr. Komala from BSN emphasized that both QI systems rely on stakeholder involvement in standard development, fostering an ecosystem where standards are tailored to meet stakeholders´ needs.

 

Furthermore, the study found that the principles of impartiality and transparency and the inclusion of stakeholders in the development of standards play a crucial role in responding to current and emerging trends in the market. The DIN representative that  there are currently over 36,000 experts who support standardisation work at DIN.

 

Mr Glatow from TÜV Nord highlighted the need for international harmonization of QI in the globalized economy in order to avoid redundant efforts to comply with diverse standards and certifications across countries. This harmonisation of standards may start by translating the standard documents in common languages (i.e. English), and by adopting the same terminology, measurement, or definition of the wordings. He explained that since the first issuance of a sustainability certification in 1995, there has been a growing demand and exponentially increasing standards in the Southeast Asia market. He also pointed out that more and more consumers expect companies to comply with circular economy practices. DIN and BSN both added that they are actively engaged in standardization efforts related to circular economy, indicating a shared commitment to addressing environmental changes.

 

Dr. Seifarth highlighted that for standardisation, harmonisation and exchange of ideas matter a lot. One of the main objectives of DIN is to achieve coherence with the international agenda on standardisation, as most sectors in the industry favour international standards due to the economic benefits. Dr. Komala highlighted that while Indonesia aims to align with international standards, adjustments may be necessary to accommodate local environmental, geological, geographical and technological conditions. This flexibility ensures that standards remain relevant and effective within the national context.

 

Lessons learned and moving forward

 

The speakers highlighted the importance of stakeholder involvement, transparency, and adaptability in standard development to address evolving market needs and global challenges and, ultimately, foster safer and more sustainable products and practices.

 

They expressed their strong interest in an ongoing exchange to help develop solutions for harmonisation and thus bridge the differences between the two countries.

 

If you have any questions or would like to get in touch with GPQI Indonesia, please contact us at indonesia@gpqi.org.