TIC Council and the Organization of American States (OAS) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that is expected to facilitate collaboration drawing on the expertise of the testing, inspection, and certification sector in the field of consumer product safety.
According to TIC Council Americas Executive Director Rich O’Brien, OAS member states considering public policy options across many different product categories now have a conduit from which they can draw on the experiences and best practices of the world’s leading independent assurance providers. “This could prove very beneficial to consumers in OAS countries,” O’Brien stated, “because not all member states have fully developed legal frameworks for consumer products, including those that should be regulated. Since regulating industry behavior is not fully successful without assurance mechanisms, our member companies can help policymakers succeed by sharing how different approaches have worked out in practical examples.
The MOU anticipates a range of activities, including webinars and workshops tailored to the needs of consumer protection agencies in OAS member states.