The approval of a project to modify Law 166-12 is expected, which would give Indocal enforcement capacity to impose sanctions.
In the Dominican Republic there are more 1,000 standards (Nordom) prepared by the Dominican Institute of Quality (Indocal) and approved by the Dominican Council for Quality (Codoca), which establish rules, guidelines or characteristics so that products or related processes and production methods meet standards of quality, but implementing them is not mandatory because the current law that governs the matter does not grant sanctioning capacity to do so.
To achieve a regulatory framework that guarantees full and mandatory compliance with the Nordom, a project to modify Law 166-12, which creates the Dominican Quality System, needs to be approved.
When participating in the HOY Economic Meeting, the general director of Indocal, Néstor Julio Matos Ureña, stated that the productive sectors in the country increasingly demand the creation of quality standards with the aim of providing high standards in their production processes. of goods, which facilitates trade and promotes citizen confidence.
He highlighted that Indocal has a catalog of 1,000 Dominican Standards (NORDOM)of which 20 have been approved so far this year and 10 are in process. In addition to those that have been updated.
He stressed that the application of these standards is voluntary, so they are waiting for the approval of a project to modify the Law 166-12 which is in the Senate, which – he specified – would grant Indocal an executing arm that would allow it not only the verification part, but also the sanctioning part that can help improve the role of the inspections carried out by that entity.
He pointed out that for Indocal to be able to apply some type of regulation, it must rely on the National Institute for the Protection of Consumer Rights (ProConsumidor).
However, the official considered that consumers are increasingly demanding, therefore they lean towards products whose quality is certified by a standard.
He emphasized that such behavior pushes many formal companies to approach Indocal to adopt those instruments that strengthen their businesses and minimize the harmful effects of illicit trade.
He stated that there are Dominican Technical Regulations (RTD) and specified that these establish the characteristics of a product or the related processes and production methods and include applicable administrative provisions, and their compliance is mandatory. Products that do not comply with the provisions of the RTD cannot be be marketed in the country, he said.
