RAMIZ GASANOV: "WE SHOULD HAVE OUR OWN STANDARD"
"AZS WILL NOT BE GRANTED TO EVERYBODY," THE GENERAL DIRECTOR OF THE AGENCY ON STANDARDIZATION, METROLOGY AND PATENTS OF AZERBAIJAN RAMIZ GASANOV TOLD AT THE MEETING WITH THE CASPIAN INTEGRATION BUSINESS CLUB.
The Caspian Integration Business Club (CIBC) continues arranging meetings with heads of public offices of Azerbaijan. The next CIBC meeting was held in Grand Hotel Europe on March 10 with the General Director of the Agency on Standardization, Metrology and Patents of the Azerbaijan Republic, Ramiz Gasanov.
"The meeting was arranged within the framework of preparation for a meeting of the Club's members with the President of Azerbaijan Republic, Ilham Aliyev. The request to hold this meeting is explained in the letter send to the President on October 25, 2005," President and Chief Executive Director of the Caspian Integration Business Club Telman Aliyev said.
The General Director of the Agency on Standardization, Metrology and Patents of the Azerbaijan Republic (ASMP), Ramiz Gasanov agreed to arrange the meeting as a business - government dialogue and replied to various questions of the Club's members.
During the discussion Ramiz Gasanov noted that integration of the national system into the European one was one of the requirements of the time. "It is very important; we are working in this direction," ASMP General Director said. At that he stressed "the less the government interferes with the activity of the private sector, the more the competition between producers will be, thus surely stimulating the development of economy".
Answering the questions of the businessmen ASMP Head confirmed opportunity of accreditation to some companies as a certification center. A company should meet all norms and requirements assigned to such a center.
We are interested in development of domestic production; first of all it concerns those areas, which are practically undeveloped in Azerbaijan. We have to support them," R. Gasanov continued.
Regarding accusations on polls related to quality of production of the companies, which were already awarded national certificates, R. Gasanov said that there is necessity to reorganize the certification field. The Agency is gradually implementing this work. R. Gasanov considers using of AZS trade mark (AzStandard) by all companies as incorrect. This matter should be viewed in future as there are enterprises in the republic that manufacture production of high quality, but it is practically impossible to distinguish them in the total mass. For this reason AZS trade mark will be awarded only to companies meeting all necessary requirements. "The present condition of the economy shows that each production finds its buyer as there is not competition at the market and each producer is sure that his production will be purchased. It is necessary to think how the state can interest companies that manufacture quality production. The state has to award prizes, not in material form, to such enterprises and simultaneously take certain measures against manufacturers of low-quality production."
"At the meetings with manufacturers of alcoholic beverage productions, which are 4-5 in Azerbaijan, we offered them to establish an association of wine producers. It will allow struggling against small producers, which technical potential does not allow manufacturing quality production. In this case the companies will settle a matter related to quality at the consumer market. From this point of view I agree that we have to protect the consumers' rights and encourage companies that manufacture quality production."
During the meeting the participants were informed that Azneftkimyamash JSC is seriously working over the quality of the manufactured production. One of the Azerbaijan plants engaged in the area of machinery building was awarded the first API standard. To date 12 enterprises of this joint stock company were awarded ISO 9001, 5 structures of this company were awarded API monogram on 9 names and 23 types of equipment. 3 more plants of the company are striving to receive API monogram on 4 types of production by the end of the current year. Meanwhile, as it was found out, the domestic entities operating throughout the republic are mainly ISO standard holders rather than API holders. It also causes certain difficulties as the republic lacks information on changes in these standards.
According to R. Gasanov, few companies in the republic were awarded both API and ISO standards. We have to work over this problem to increase number of such companies. It is necessary to form training centers. Today Azerbaijan has specialists that can train the staff. But on account of new areas of activities, Azerbaijan faces the necessity to train specialists abroad. "The program of the Agency includes all these problems and we are working in this direction," ASMP Head stressed.
Touching the matter about recognition of the Azerbaijan certificates abroad, R. Gasanov noted that the Agency is working on awakening local producers' interest in export. Now private structures have to pass at least 4-5 government offices in order to export their production abroad. "In my opinion, we have to liberalize out export," R. Gasanov stressed.
However, exported products that passed certification sometimes come back. The Agency has recently faced such situation. Last year Azerbaijan exported filbert to Spain and received reclamation that the product was low-quality and contained poisonous substances. As it turned out the processes of transportation and storage did not meet the requirements of all-Union State Standard.
"That is why I think we have to simplify our export and simultaneously intensify control over the production process. It is also important for the image of Azerbaijan. At present the Agency deals with only certification, but the time will change it. We have to certificate the production process as only then manufactured products will correspond to the awarded certificate," R. Gasanov stressed and continued - "the Agency as a state body will not interfere with these processes. We shall work over formation of companies accredited to AzStandard. When the number of such companies increases in Azerbaijan our control over quality and production process will be tougher."
According to R. Gasanov, AzStandard has not ceased its activity since January up to now and has not awarded any quality certificate to domestic production. Within this period the validity of certificates of almost 150 companies was interrupted after studies carried out by the specialists of the Agency at these enterprises. In compliance with the legislation, the enterprises are given opportunity to improve their production level. Specialists carry out new studies and award certificates in case improvement is observed. The Agency controls enterprises that manufacture sausages from meat of birds. Taken samples are studied at the laboratory outfitted with the modern equipment.
At present the Agency is establishing its own publishing house within its structure to publish bulletins for businessmen. IT sector has already been formed within the Agency to inform both producers and consumers about innovations and changes by means of Internet.
On the whole, R. Gasanov said, if we want integration, we have to refuse from all-Union State Standard. In future the companies themselves will compose technical conditions on manufactured production. Then these conditions will pass certification on correspondence. It will take several years if the Agency starts recomposing standards, which is long and difficult process. The research institution that functions within the Agency's structure mainly deals with foodstuffs now and composes 6-7 standards or technical conditions a year.
Today there are serious problems that should be solved. "Having implemented the studies, we understood that there are not standards even on drinking water and we have 18 technical conditions. It means that everybody who discovers a spring brings the water to the laboratory for analysis and on this basis composes the technical conditions to the composition of water," R. Gasanov stressed. According to experts, during the times of the former USSR the all-Union State Standard had the strictest conditions to water and even some foreign states used a number of parameters of this standard on water.
Today there are totally 90 national standards in Azerbaijan. But for instance neighboring Georgia has 34 thousand standards. It delays development of the economy, as the standards are its key constituent. "We shall have national standards, but I do not support the idea to recompose them again. Use of standards of other states is not a way out of the situation, we cannot use apply them as a national guide. The State Standard does not deal with this work, as it must be fulfilled stepwise by the research institutions. We have already applied to the State Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan. It is necessary to fulfill large amount of work to solve this problem. We remained much behind in this area and shall be able to solve this problem only in cooperation with institutions, companies and other organizations," R. Gasanov stressed.
According to Ramiz Gasanov, enterprises of Azerbaijan might be closed if necessity to shift to European and American standards immediately appears. We have to use a more flexible, gradual method to shift to the international standards. "We should have our own standard," R. Gasanov said. At that there are standards that will remain the same. Some standards will be reconsidered. Besides, R. Gasanov noted that the matter related to a quality mark would be solved by the end of the year.
Today various international classification and certification organizations are functioning in Azerbaijan. "But I stand for establishing of local companies as well. Many businessmen do not know that this area is vacant and profitable. We have to train specialists, form JVs with these large companies. I think this matter will be solved in future," R. Gasanov stressed.
As for the activity of AzStandard, today we have to remove from zero position as the companies and population do not have trust in order to create an image and continue working in this direction in future," R. Gasanov said.
As the CIBC President and Executive Director, Telman Aliyev noted, Caspian Energy magazine was registered in 1999 at the Ministry of Justice of Azerbaijan; its brand name is protected by Azerbaijan's law. "Last year we planned to open a Center and name it Caspian Energy Center. But unfortunately one of the largest oil companies used this brand name for creation of a similar Center. According to the patent, only we have the exclusive right to use this brand name at the territory of Azerbaijan. This brand name is used for other production of our company such as Caspian Energy Weekly, Caspian Energy Daily, Caspian Energy Production, Internet-site, etc," T. Aliyev stressed.
R. Gasanov answered that "the Appeal Commission functions within AzStandard and can resolve this situation if the brand name was registered again." Otherwise, as R. Gasanov said, it is necessary to apply to the court as your brand name.is illegally used."
According to Ramiz Gasanov, his meeting with businessmen was successful. At the meeting the General Director of the Agency on Standardization, Metrology and Patents, Ramiz Gasanov was announced an honorary member of the Club. In his turn, Ramiz Gasanov granted certificates to new CIBC members.