The Government session chaired by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov considered issues of ensuring safety and improving the quality of goods in the domestic market.

On the ongoing work on the development and adoption of national standards, strengthening of customs and sanitary-epidemiological control reported the Ministers of Trade and Integration Arman Shakkaliyev, Finance Madi Takiyev, Minister of Healthcare Akmaral Alnazarova.

It was noted that today more than 70% of business activities in the world are related to "quality infrastructure". In all sectors, from food industry to complex machine building, safety and quality requirements are set. Therefore, it is important to constantly raise the level of laboratory research and testing, to involve the scientific potential of institutes and universities in this work. The results of their work should contribute to the production of quality products that meet international standards and the possibility of entering foreign markets. At the same time, business should be interested in ensuring that the products manufactured meet the established standards.

Earlier, in order to reduce administrative barriers in Kazakhstan, procedures for state control of products, as well as the activities of laboratories were simplified. However, this had the opposite effect. For example, the reduction of requirements for control over the repair of power plants, safety at industrial facilities and amusement rides resulted in an increase in detected violations of more than 70% this year. Also, more than 6.5 thousand unreasonably issued safety certificates for imported vehicles had to be cancelled. Prime Minister emphasised that it is necessary to exclude the possibility of such incidents.

"We must protect our citizens from falsified and unsafe products. Therefore, there is a need to effectively strengthen the regulatory functions of the state and increase the responsibility of business. They should be implemented, including at the legislative level. The Ministry of Trade together with interested government agencies and the business community to promptly develop appropriate amendments," Olzhas Bektenov said.

Head of the Government emphasised the important areas of work of the relevant ministries and departments. In order to ensure traceability of goods in Kazakhstan approved a common classifier aimed at the application of international standards for the identification of raw materials and products, as well as the unification of all catalogues available in Kazakhstan. The Ministry of Finance has been instructed to ensure widespread implementation of the Electronic Catalogue of Goods. It is also necessary to use the potential of research laboratories functioning at universities. The Ministry of Science should develop approaches for their co-operation with business.

In Kazakhstan, an information system of technical regulation was put into commercial operation this year, which should become as transparent as possible and a single point of access for government agencies, the business community and the public. In this regard, the Ministry of Trade should expand the functionality of the system.

#Olzhas Bektenov #The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan #Government session