RBS moves to ensure consumer safety

Rwandan Bureau of Standards (RBS) is set to draft a list of “sensitive products” for strict regulation to ensure the safety of consumers and environment.The proposed products include food, medication, construction materials, and other products that may harm the environment and deemed sensitive and unsafe.“What we are prescribing as Rwanda is that those commodities that we feel are sensitive that actually can affect public safety can be regulated by having technical regulations in place,” Mark Bagabe, Director General of RBS told Business Times yesterday.Bagabe added that institutions involved in product regulation need to align such laws to protect the public while facilitating trade flow.This move means that Rwandan Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA), Rwanda Environment management Authority (REMA) and other regulatory bodies must align their laws to ensure that products regarded as sensitive fully meet the standards before use.Currently, all products are voluntarily certificated meaning that the manufacturer can have their products certified or not. This allows many substandard products to find their way to the market. “It is important to have products that people use such as food products to be certified. Today, most customers demand for certified products,” Ramlah Mugiraneza, proprietor of Imena Dairies and fast foods supermarket observed.Regional standards bodies are in the process of harmonising standards to facilitate the common market protocol that opens the EAC as one market.Nevertheless, international best practices and World Trade Organisation (WTO) regulations do not allow products to undergo mandatory quality inspection as this would cripple free trade.“By international basic practice, we don’t have any mandatory standards although this Quality Management act, says we should have mandatory standards,” Bagabe addedHe added that the east African region is carrying out creation and establishment of technical regulations, which will give regulators power to enforce standards to minimise substandard products on the market. “So, we are at the opportune time to be able as Rwanda to contribute to the process of establishing these regulations,’ he said, adding it would also be important to have products that would meet international standards.Rwanda has over 60 products certified to meet international standards. Bagabe called for more interventions to increase the number to boost exports.

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RBS moves to ensure consumer safety