On 30 October 1991, in Canberra, David Beddall for Australia and Philip Burdon for New Zealand signed the Agreement concerning the Establishment of the Council of the Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand (JAS-ANZ). The ATS 1991 No. 44 text is done in duplicate. Article 15: the Agreement enters into force on the date of signature. It is not the CER Agreement of 28 March 1983, cited only in the preamble.

The preamble ties the instrument to geographic proximity, to CER and to the Agreement on Standards, Accreditation and Quality of 26 October 1990, made between Australia, the Australian States and Territories and New Zealand. The Parties recognise that a joint accreditation system will enhance bilateral trade and export opportunities. Article 1 defines accreditation as an approval mechanism for conformity assessment, including product certification, verification of testing and the competence of auditors.

Article 2: the objectives are to strengthen the trading relationship, to establish a joint mechanism for accrediting conformity-assessment bodies, to obtain national and international recognition for producers, goods, services, auditors, consultants and trainers, to link with standards bodies and to obtain mutual acceptance of conformity assessment. Article 3 establishes the Council, with legal capacity in both countries and an annual report to the Ministers after 30 June.

Article 4 gives the Council harmonisation of conformity-assessment structures, including quality management systems as a first priority, uniform criteria, formal recognition in Australia, New Zealand and abroad, and the employment of staff with equal consideration for residents of both States. Article 6: 21 members, 14 appointed by the Australian Minister and 7 by the New Zealand Minister, drawn from industry, government and standards bodies. The part-time honorary chairperson is appointed jointly; the first must be resident in Australia, the second in New Zealand. A member may serve at most 3+3 years.

Article 7: meetings at least once a year; decisions by consensus or, failing that, by a majority that includes at least three New Zealand appointees; quorum 14, including at least three New Zealand members. Article 8: establishment funding of 400,000 Australian dollars from Australia and 200,000 (or equivalent) from New Zealand. Article 9: fees so that the Council becomes self-funding. Article 10: intellectual property created for the Agreement is owned jointly by the Parties.

Article 11: implementation falls to the Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce and the Ministry of Commerce. Article 12: consultation, a review no later than one year after signature, and amicable settlement of disputes. Article 13: amendment by written agreement. Article 14: termination on 180 days’ written notice. The Agreement does not replace NATA as a laboratory accreditor and is not an automatic mutual-recognition treaty for all ISO certificates.

Image: Parliament House, Canberra, city of signature; Dietmar Rabich, 20 October 2019; CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons. Cropped to 16:9.

Source consulted: Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand. Treaty text: Agreement between Australia and New Zealand concerning the Establishment of the Council of JAS-ANZ, Canberra, 30 October 1991 (ATS 1991 No. 44).