SERVICES - Services To The Government
The purpose of NRCS is to support the Government in protecting the health and safety of citizens, protecting, and preservation of the environment, and promoting fair trade and to protect consumers against short measure and inaccurate measurement whilst establishing a level playing field for industry through the use of accurate measuring instruments.
South Africa is a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and signatory to:
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The WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (WTO TBT); and
- The WTO Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (WTO SPS).
NRCS assists the Government to meet WTO obligations by drafting and administering technical regulations in accordance with world best practices and WTO TBT principles.
NRCS Legal Metrology is the South African member at the International Organization of Legal Metrology with a view to strengthening collaboration and international harmonization
What does NRCS do?
NRCS administers technical safety, health and environment-related regulations (Compulsory specifications), and Legal Metrology regulations on behalf of the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic). NRCS also provides services to other government departments, including the Ministries of Transport, Labour, Mineral and Energy, and Health.
The TBT and SPS agreements oblige members to avoid using standards and technical regulations as trade barriers. In order to meet WTO TBT and SPS requirements, technical regulations should make national standards, or specific provisions thereof, mandatory. Wherever possible technical regulations should be aligned with international equivalents, and refer to national standards that are aligned or identical to accepted international equivalents. Other types of standards or specifications may be referred to where a suitable national standard is not available. Recently promulgated compulsory specifications, and regulations under development, meet these requirements.
South Africa, like many other nations, has a legacy of old legislation, including technical regulations in which the technical requirements (i.e. the standard) are integrated into the body of the legislation. NRCS is therefore assisting Government to implement best practices and rectify this situation by a consultative process of review and amendment.
Regulated Products
Products regulated by NRCS include:
- Vehicles and vehicle components
- Electrical and electronic goods and components
- Frozen fish, shellfish and molluscs, and canned meat and fish
- Environmental and personal safety products such as personal protective equipment, disinfectants, stoves, firearms, shooting ranges, and plastic bags
- Buildings, structures, and construction materials
- All measurable products and services
- Measuring instruments used for trade, legal, health, safety or environment measurements
Most compulsory specifications are available as free downloads at
Compulsory Specifications.
