Speaking at a seminar organised by the Malta Standards Authority (MSA) to mark World Standards Day the minister explained that although many SMEs believe standardisation could be expensive and out of their reach, he aims to help them understand what benefits they could reap from this process.

Standardisation is a crucial element in the modern industrial society because it contributes to a more effective and efficient business. Meeting, or not meeting, certain standards can make the difference between failure and success in the market, the minister said.

A study issued by the EU showed that around 80 per cent of EU intra-trade is affected by standards. The minister noted that although the costs of standard development may be expensive, the benefits that spring from this usually compensates for the expense. The seminar, entitled Exploiting the MSA’s services to gain competitive advantage and was organised to mark World Standards Day, which is today.

The aim of the workshop was to discuss how the services offered by the MSA could be used to gain competitive advantage. Over the last three years, the MSA has been involved in building the quality and measurements infrastructure for Malta. The authority also played an active part in updating regulations on the free movement of goods, agriculture and health, said Mr Galea. The authority is currently undergoing a consolidation phase and it is also aligning its services in metrology, certification and accreditation with international requirements to achieve global recognition for these services. Standards connect the world is the theme for this year’s World Standards Day. The minister said that standards not only connect markets but also help connect developing countries and transition economies to “state-of-the-art technological know-how”, which enables them to increase their export capability and competitiveness. The seminar was meant to serve as an information platform on the activities of the MSA. Standards preparation and adoption are just part of the vast remit of the authority, Mr Galea concluded and he hoped the MSA and industry continues its collaboration.