While the costs of standards development can indeed be quite expensive for industry, surveys commissioned in advanced industrial countries have shown that costs are highly compensated by the benefits resulting from an active participation in the standards making activity. Some days ago I presented the ISO accreditation certificate to a DNA forensic lab. This was an important development for the laboratory sector in Malta. Laboratories offer a crucial service both to the government and to the manufacturing and service industries. The work carried out by laboratories is most of the times hidden and their availability and results are most of the times taken for granted. However laboratories need to make investments in both human resources and equipment to ensure that they are well equipped and that they have trained and competent personnel to be able to provide correct results.

Throughout the world, it is common practice to rely on a process called laboratory accreditation as a means of determining technical competence, reliability and accuracy. Laboratory accreditation uses criteria and procedures specifically developed to determine technical competence. Specialist independent technical assessors conduct a thorough evaluation of all factors in a laboratory that affect the production of test or calibration data. The criteria are based on an international standard called ISO 17025, which is used for evaluating laboratories throughout the world. Accreditation bodies use this standard specifically to assess factors relevant to a laboratory’s ability to produce precise, accurate test and calibration data. I am therefore very glad that following the accreditation obtained by the laboratory of the Institute of Water Technology of the Water Services Corporation, I announced the accreditation of a second laboratory. This is Synergene Technologies Limited, which took the bold step to be the first private Maltese laboratory to apply for accreditation. Following a thorough and arduous accreditation process by the National Accreditation Body of the Malta Standards Authority it has achieved an international level of recognition of its operational services – in fact this laboratory can now claim that it meets all the requirements of ISO 17025. This certificate obtained is a formal demonstration of this organisation’s credibility, reliability and competence to carry out DNA and forensic testing. I augur that this laboratory will manage to maintain this level of competency, which will be verified by the regular surveillance visits, which will be carried out by the national accreditation body.

Like many other organisations, Synergene has made a substantial level of investment to be able to thrive and make the most out of the single EU market. Part of this investment was dedicated to the achievement of this certificate, which will enable it to take a better share of the market. Such initiatives have already enabled this organisation to go beyond the Maltese shores and export its services abroad.

The availability of accredited laboratories will improve the competitiveness of Malta and will also be a key to the attraction of new investments. It will also reduce costs to the government and industry that will now not need to conduct testing at foreign laboratories. The shortage of accredited laboratories in other areas, such as food testing, is creating problems for a number of economic sectors including importers and manufacturers.

Unfortunately, some local entrepreneurs do not yet fully appreciate the importance that standards play in order that they become more competitive and able to penetrate foreign markets; sometimes it is very difficult to convince industry to participate in the standardisation process. However, I must point out that a number of local industrialists have already benefited financially from standardisation, which when coupled with Malta’s entry in the European Union can unleash great business potential.

The Malta Standards Authority is a full member of the European standardisation organisations and the international body ISO. MSA participates in both the European and international standardisation work which are aimed at:

– eliminating technical barriers to trade in Europe through an effective and legitimate method of self-regulation for a single market economy, and

– ensuring the competitiveness of European industry both within the internal market and beyond it.

I hope that other Maltese businesses will understand the competitive advantage which can be achieved though standardisation. The Malta Standards Authority, which falls under my portfolio, is doing sterling work in enabling more organisations achieve internationally recognised standardisation certificates and is willing to provide the necessary help to all those entrepreneurs seeking to introduce standardisation within their entity.

Censu Galea is Competitiveness and Communications Minister