FAQs

ABOUT THE PROJECT

 Question: How can the potential beneficiaries ensure that their interests are reflected to the decision-making mechanism?

 Answer: The members of the Project Board are always responsible for conveying the interests of the sectors that they represent. The potential beneficiaries should be in constant touch with their representatives in this sense. This is based on the beneficiaries efforts more than anything else.

Furthermore, the programme management is supported by a participatory platform called the Conformity Assessment Board. This is a consultation mechanism on conformity assessment including representatives from the private and public sector directly involved in technical harmonisation. These may include conformity assessment practitioners (Laboratories, notified bodies etc.), trade and professional associations and academic institutions. The Conformity Asessment Board will discuss project progress and conformity assessment issues, be consulted on annual Work Programmes and quarterly action plans, set-up Working Groups (where these do not already exist) covering, for example, different directives encouraging a wider set of players with interests in particular sectors to work together and publicise the programme to its membership using materials developed by the Expertise Centre.

So, there is enough mechanism built into the system which would ensure that the interests of the beneficiaries are followed. Yet, their involvement in these mechanisms is the most important thing.

 Question: How to apply to the support from the Project?

 Answer: This Programme has four components: Legal and technical advice, institution-building support, Awareness-raising and Transfer of Know-How. The first three components will be tendered in order to create sub-packages of assistance within the Programme. The terms of reference of these components will be drafted by the Expertise Centre by taking into account the needs of the industry and the public sector and also the results of the Country Report and consequent strategy. For these components to reach their objectives it is important that all stakeholders indicate their needs and problems effectively at the level of the Project Board and Conformity Assessment Board.

The fourth component, transfer of know-how will provide Short-Term Technical Assistance through expert visits, studies, workshops, seminars and training. This crucial component is made available immediately.

 Question: What is the relation between the Customs Union Decision and this programme? Where does it stand in relation to the accession process?

 Answer: The programme is directly related to the Customs Union Decision and the Association Council Decision 2/97. The programme addresses the technical assistance needs of the Turkish private and public sector in relation to the implementation of technical harmonisation obliged by these Decisions. It also addresses the accession process, as under this process Turkey is obliged to harmonise its legislation with the acquis communautaire including the acquis on the free movement of goods, hence the elimination of technical barriers to trade.

 Question: Did other candidate countries benefit from a similar programme?

 Answer: Yes. In fact, the Support to the Quality Infrastructure Programme is inspired by the PRAQ III programme of the European Commission financed under the PHARE Programme. PRAQ III Programme was a multi-country programme assisting the candidate countries harmonising their legislation and in aligning their quality infrastructure with that of EU. It consisted of information activities, training, workshops and site visits held on a regional basis with participation of various candidate countries.

The Support to the Quality Infrastructure project is, however, designed only for Turkey and will be implemented on a national level.

 Question: How was the project conceived ? (Whose idea, who drafted, whom were consulted, etc.)

 Answer: The budgetary source of this project is the MEDA II Programme. Under the MEDA Programme, the National Coordinator for programming of EC funds is the Undersecretariat of Treasury with the technical support of the State Planning Organisation. This project idea came about first in 1998 during the programming discussions between the European Commission and the Undersecretariat of Treasury as a priority area for funding. In July 1998, a group of experts recruited by the Commission came to Turkey and had extensive discussions with the Turkish industry and public sector (including TSE, TÜBİTAK, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade, TÜSIAD, İKV, İstanbul Chamber of industry, TAYSAD, Clothing Industrialist Association, White Goods Industry Association, KaIDer, Pharmaceutical Industry Association, Clothing Industry Association, Machine Manufacturers Union, KOSGEB). This helped the development of a first concept paper. Then, another mission was organised with further experts in 1998 who held meetings with various organisations (including TSE, OSD, Ministry of Industry, Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade, Treasury, UME, ESIM, KaIDer, ITKIB, etc). With further investigations and consultations, the programme was finally prepared in 2000 and was put forward to the EC approval mechanisms to be funded out of the 2000 budget of the MEDA Programme. The Financing Agreement was signed in April 2001.

 Question: Could you please describe your project?

 Answer: Our project, within the MEDA II Programme, is designed to support Turkey's private and public sectors in the process of technical harmonisation and aligning of their quality infrastructure with that of the EU in the areas of direct relevance to the Customs Union Agreement, more specifically in the parts concerned with technical barriers to trade.

 Question: Apart from the Expertise Centre, are there any other institutions which are also responsible for the execution of the project?

 Answer: The Expertise Centre and the Project Board are responsible for the project.

 Question: How long has this project been in force?

 Answer: Project has been in force since July 2002.

 Question: How does the project help to improve the quality infrastructure in Turkey?

 Answer: In Turkey an intensive work programme exists in order to help public sector as well as private sector. Short term expertise and long term assistance programmes are going on, at the same time “Conformity Assessment Board” is now established and studies on this are also going on. Memorandum of Understanding on this has been signed and the regulation of this Board is being prepared. The action plan of the project is completed, the long term assistance projects are being prepeared by the ExC and EU Representation. After tendering, the first long term sub-project will start by June or July.

 Question: Which institutions are being informed on the EU implementations?

 Answer: All Ministries, private sector; for instance: Undersecretariat for Foreign Trade, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Health, Telecom, KOSGEB, Ministry of Agriculture, Secretariat General for the EU Affairs, etc.

 Question: How is the private sector being informed on the EU implementations?

 Answer: Introductory meetings to private sector were organised in İstanbul, Bursa, İzmir, Denizli, Gebze, Ankara. Through KalDer, member of the Project Board, there have been presentations at the 12th National Quality Congress in İstanbul (13-15 October 2003) and at the 4th Public Quality Symposium in Ankara (12-13 June 2003).

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

 Question: Why did the EC select CEN for the implementation of this programme ?

 Answer: CEN is a non-profit organisation promoting voluntary technical harmonisation in Europe in conjunction with world-wide bodies and its partners in Europe.

It has the technical expertise required for the tasks entrusted in the terms of reference of this project and works with a large portfolio of experts due to various technical committees.

Furthermore, CEN was the implementing agency of the PRAQ III Programme and has extensive knowledge on management of technical assistance programmes.

 Question: Why was BSI selected for the establishment and running of the Expertise Centre?

 Answer: BSI is a member of CEN and it has previous professional experience in Turkey through its operations in İIstanbul. Furthermore, it's got hands-on experience on establishment of project offices and their running. BSI is the sub-contractor of CEN under this Programme.

 Question: How were the Project Board members chosen?

 Answer: The Project Board is responsible for strategic decision-making on the priorities of the programme and the Work Programme prepared by the Expertise Centre. As its decisions also have financial consequences, i.e. the distribution of funds, the members of the Project Board cannot benefit from the Programme funds in order to avoid conflict of interest (for instance, if the EC Representation wants to organise training for its own technical staff instead of using the funds for the interest of the project's target group, then this would cause a conflict of interest as the Representation would be in a position of favouring itself).

The direct beneficiaries of the Programme are the officials and employees of the Turkish private and public sector involved in the harmonisation process. This would also cover institutions such as Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the federation of chambers, business associations, public or semi-public institutes like TÜRKAK, TSE, TÜBİTAK, KOSGEB, etc. The programme is designed to address the needs of these sectors, not the members of the Project Board.

KalDer is chosen as an institution which would successfully represent the industry in the Project Board without needing much support for itself due to its highly qualified staff and technical understanding of the issues at hand. KalDer provides a link to the overall “Quality" concept where this project should lead to. It is a flexible, dynamic and small organisation, which works with volunteers directly in contact with the industry on a daily basis, rather than functioning as an institution in itself with limited. Direct access to the problems of the industry.

Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade, DG for Standardisation is the coordinator of the technical harmonisation process stemming from the Customs Union Decision. Its, technical know-how and experience that has accumulated from the times of the negotiations, towards the Customs Union is clear. It stands at an equal distance to all potential beneficiaries of the programme.

Short-Term Technical Assistance

 Question: Who is the contact person for Short-Term Technical Assistance?

 Answer: You can contact Mr. Selami Bezen either by telephone: (0312) 448 27 51 or e-mail: selami.bezen@expert-centre.org

Trainings

 Question: Could you describe the trainings?

 Answer: Training and consultancy services will be in the field of EU Legislation, Standardisation, Accreditation, Certification Inspection & Testing, and Metrology. For additional details see STTA.

 Question: Where do the trainings take place?

 Answer: Trainings take place in the required region or cities of Turkey after the evaluation of the Project Board.

 Question: How long does the training take? Can we determine the timing?

 Answer: Trainings consist of minimum 3 days maximum 5 days. The duration of the trainings is defined by the Project Board after consultation of the beneficiary.

 Question: Who has benefited from your project up to present?

 Answer: From the public sector Ministry of Health and Telecommunication Authority and from the private sector the Federation of Cement Manufacturers (TÇMB) have benefited from the project.

 Question: Who is the responsible body for the approval of the trainings? Could you please summarise the stages after the approval?

 Answer: Project Board (USFT, KALDER, EU) is the responsible body for the approval of the required short term expertise. The Expertise Centre screens the requests and present them to the Project Board.

 Question: The project is told to be collective, for instance for the “laboratory accreditation” is it necessary to apply more than one? Or is it evaluated as a sector?

 Answer: Companies as such cannot apply to the short-term assistance. The request should have a collective interest and be presented by a representative entity (Professional association, federation, Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Chambers of Commerce, Chambers of Industry,...).

The institutions and companies which are interested in the same subjects will benefit from the training. The laboratory accreditation has been done by the TÜRKAK in Turkey, as it is mentioned in the “Guide” annex of the application form Standardisation, Accreditation, Certification Inspection & Testing and Metrology are under the short term technical expertise. Applications are evaluated in the sectoral base. All applications are evaluated collective not individual.

Payment

 Question: What are the conditions of the payment?

 Answer: The project being EC funded, the participation for the beneficiaries is free of charge.

Application Form

 Question: We filled in the application form of the SUPQIT Programme. Where will we send it?

 Answer: The application form should be sent , in English and Turkish version, to the Expertise Centre.