Activities of National Multi-Stakeholder Platforms
| Relevant Activity | Key Actions |
| Activity 1:
Building an Ecosystem |
Conduct a dialogue among a core group of public and private stakeholders to build a more institutionalized structure to facilitate an informed policy dialogue on how to pro-actively use VSS. |
| Activity 2:
Market Access Information |
Gather and exchange information on key sectors and product groups, in which VSS play an important role for access to export markets and manage international supply chains. Provide information on relevant VSS, drawing from tools such as: ITC’s Standard Map tool, UNIDO’s expertise in industrial standards and FAO’s competence on agricultural standards, and UNCTAD’s database on Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs). |
| Activity 3:
Sustainability Goals |
Conduct a comparative analysis of VSS and which standards might be a best fit for assuring market access and meeting specific sustainability goals at micro- and macro-economic levels. Use benchmarking and self-assessment tools. |
| Activity 4:
Harmonization of VSS |
Review whether or not to bring in certain national or company-specific VSS in line with major international VSS for key product groups. Draw comparisons from experience of other developing countries such as Brazil and China. |
| Activity 5:
Reviewing Best Practice Cases |
Review of best practice cases for having a pro-active and supportive policy on VSS and drawing lessons that can be generalized. |
| Activity 6:
Supportive policies |
Conduct analysis om required pro-active and supportive policy at national and regional level for optimizing the use of VSS aimed at harnessing their benefits and minimizing their cost of compliance. This should also contribute to improve policy coherence and draw on public-private multi-stakeholder dialogue. This includes identification of gaps in human, institutional, technical and infrastructural capacity as well as in policy coordination such as indicating preference in public procurement or public support to reducing cost of compliance as measures to embed quality. |
| Activity 7:
Impact assessment |
Conduct an impact assessment of VSS in terms of achieved market access, enhanced innovation and competitiveness as well as in attaining specific Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). |
| Activity 8:
Capacity Building |
Assist standard setting organizations to arrange for training and developing effective VSS frameworks and how to prepare domestic users for effective VSS use. |
| Activity 9:
Emphasis on SMEs |
Pay special attention to assist small-scale producers in complying with VSS. |
