Minister of Industry Sponsors Workshop on the Draft Quality Infrastructure Law
The Palestinian Standards Institution (PSI) held a specialized workshop to discuss the draft Quality Infrastructure Law, within the framework of the EU4Business project funded by the European Union, in partnership with the Ministry of National Economy, and with the participation of representatives from official institutions and relevant stakeholders.
The workshop was opened with a speech by His Excellency the Minister of Industry and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Palestinian Standards Institution, Mr. Arafat Asfour, who welcomed the participants and emphasized the importance of one of the most significant legal files with a direct impact on the future of the Palestinian national economy—namely, the draft Quality Infrastructure Law. He highlighted that the law represents a fundamental pillar in building the modern Palestinian state, strengthening the resilience of the national economy, protecting consumers, and enhancing the competitiveness of Palestinian products in regional and international markets.
His Excellency noted that quality infrastructure is not limited to technical and procedural aspects, but rather constitutes a gateway to achieving economic sovereignty, regulating markets, controlling quality, ensuring safety, achieving economic justice, and linking Palestinian products to the global trading system on clear and transparent foundations.
He explained that the draft law was developed in response to a range of real challenges, foremost among them the need to organize legal and regulatory references in the field of quality, reduce overlaps in mandates among competent authorities, and establish a comprehensive legislative framework aligned with international best practices, thereby enabling national products to access foreign markets with confidence and credibility.
The Minister of Industry affirmed that building a strong national economy is not achieved through slogans, but through sound legislation, effective institutions, and policies based on knowledge and adherence to international standards.
For his part, Mr. Elias Tselikas, Program Officer at the European Union Office, emphasized the importance of the EU4Business project in supporting the business environment, enhancing trade and investment, and developing the standards system in line with international norms.
Mr. Nasser Al-Omari, Project Team Leader, also delivered a brief presentation on the project and its main components, which include trade, investment, and standards.
In the same context, experts reviewed the most significant substantive amendments introduced to the draft law. Engineer Mohammad Al-Sayyed, the Standards Component Officer in the EU project, provided a detailed summary of these changes.
Engineer Haider Hajjeh, Director General of the Palestinian Standards Institution, presented a comprehensive explanation of the institution’s role in developing the national quality system and the objectives of the Quality Infrastructure Law. These objectives include adopting Palestinian standards based on modern scientific principles, keeping pace with scientific developments in activities related to quality infrastructure elements, contributing to the qualification and development of Palestinian industry and economic development plans, unifying national measurement references in accordance with international standards, and protecting human health, safety, and the environment through the adoption of standards, the granting of certificates and conformity marks, and the regulation of measurement activities.
He clarified that the Quality Infrastructure Law establishes an integrated legislative and regulatory framework for organizing and developing the national quality system, encompassing standards, metrology, accreditation, inspection, testing, and conformity assessment. This framework ensures clarity of roles, institutional integration, improved governance, enhanced service efficiency, stronger consumer protection, facilitated trade exchange, and alignment of national legislation with regional and international requirements.
Engineer Adeeb Al-Qemari, Director of the Standardization Department, presented an overview of the legal provisions related to standards development mechanisms, including principles of standardization, objectives of standards, work programs, formation of technical committees, public inquiry, stakeholder engagement, adoption of standards, and extension of their validity, in line with international and regional best practices.
Ms. Taghreed Shehadeh, Director of the Quality and Qualification Department, delivered a presentation on several legal provisions related to the conformity assessment system, the granting of certificates and marks, mechanisms for issuing certificates and mutual recognition, prevention of misuse of conformity marks, and enhancement of transparency and integrity in procedures, thereby strengthening confidence in Palestinian products and services.
Engineer Yousef Ghazi, Director of the National Metrology Directorate, provided a detailed explanation of the metrology chapter in the draft law, highlighting its importance in regulating measurement activities, ensuring accuracy and reliability of results, and linking the national metrology system with international standards and practices.
The presentations concluded with an intervention by legal advisor Mr. Mohammad Al-Amleh, who reviewed Chapter Six of the draft Quality Infrastructure Law, which establishes a balanced national market surveillance system aimed at protecting consumers, regulating markets, supporting compliant traders, and enhancing confidence in Palestinian products.
At the conclusion of the workshop, participants emphasized the importance of continuing technical and legal dialogue on the draft law and taking into account the observations raised, in order to contribute to the adoption of a modern piece of legislation that strengthens the national quality system and supports sustainable economic development in Palestine.
