Jakarta, Indonesia – The IAPMO Group last week joined with the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and the National Standardization Agency of Indonesia (BSN) in producing USAID’s “Good Regulatory Practice (GRP): Shared Experiences of the United States and Indonesia” workshop in Jakarta. Megan Lehtonen, director of International Business Development for The IAPMO Group, spoke on the value of private/public partnerships during the workshop aimed at “promoting transparent, predictable, and effective regulatory practices that will encourage trade and investment between the two countries.”
Lehtonen explained how The IAPMO Group, a private non-profit organization, is working with BSN, an Indonesian government agency, to create a framework for the development, adoption, implementation and enforcement of a Uniform Plumbing Code® of Indonesia (UPC-ID). In March, BSN and The IAPMO Group signed a memorandum of understanding formally recognizing this partnership.
“Nearly half of Indonesian citizens lack access to safe water and more than 70 percent rely on potentially contaminated sources,” Lehtonen said. “By strengthening their decade-long private/public partnership, The IAPMO Group and BSN seek to facilitate trade through the adoption of standards that are fair to global plumbing manufacturers and by providing Indonesian officials with technical assistance to implement and enforce a code that ensures market access. Through this partnership, generations of Indonesians will experience improved access to clean water and safe sanitation.”
In addition to development of the code, Lehtonen reported that The IAPMO Group and BSN are devising support programs including education, third-party testing and certification and the creation of related standards.
GRP workshop participants discussed effective regulatory practices developed by such international and regional organizations as the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
“The conference on Good Regulatory Practices allowed for a meaningful exchange on the current standards and regulatory frameworks between the United States and Indonesia,” said Jennifer Stradtman director, Technical Barriers to Trade, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. “It was also a chance to highlight the important role public/private partnerships play in developing effective regulations. IAPMO’s recent partnership with BSN is an example of how such cooperation will not only protect the public health of Indonesians, but will also help facilitate trade between our two countries.”
Founded in Los Angeles in 1926, IAPMO has grown to be recognized the world over for its Uniform Codes. With offices in 12 U.S. states and 13 countries, IAPMO has assisted with code development all over the world, and provisions from its Uniform Plumbing Code® protect more than half the world’s population. For more information, visit www.iapmo.org.
Last modified: July 1, 2013