JASANZ at APEC SOM3 in Dalian, China

JASANZ General Manager, International & Technical Services, Matt Pitt attended the Third Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM3) and related meetings in Dalian, China, from 17 to 28 August, contributing to discussions focused on regulatory cooperation, harmonisation and international trade.

As part of the program, Matt participated in the APEC Regulatory Harmonization Steering Committee (RHSC) Plenary on 17-18 August, as well as meetings of the Joint Regulatory Advisory Committee (JRAC), engaging with regulators and technical experts from across the Asia-Pacific region.

The RHSC plays an important role in advancing regulatory convergence and promoting greater alignment between economies, helping reduce unnecessary barriers to trade while supporting innovation, quality and consumer confidence. Through these discussions, Matt contributed JASANZ's accreditation perspective on strengthening confidence in conformity assessment and regulatory systems.

Matt also met with JRAC members and electrical safety regulators to discuss emerging issues affecting product safety, compliance and market access. These conversations highlighted the value of internationally recognised accreditation in supporting trusted testing, inspection and certification outcomes across borders.

SOM3 was attended by representatives from 21 APEC Member economies to progress policy, technical and capacity-building initiatives ahead of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in Shenzhen later this year. Discussions covered trade facilitation, standards and conformance, digital trade, supply chain resilience and regulatory cooperation.

Our participation reinforces our commitment to international engagement and collaboration, ensuring accreditation continues to support safe markets, trusted trade and strong regulatory outcomes across the Asia-Pacific region.