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Caucasian Institute for Economic and Social Research
discrimination between national and imported products, proportionality and equivalence.”98 This procedure gives WTO Members and producers to have the chance to review all changes to product requirements. The access to open information allows manufacturers to make the necessary changes to their products in order to compete in the international market. Azerbaijan Policy on Standardization and Technical Barriers to Trade The current State Agency on Standardization, Meteorology, and Patents of the Republic of Azerbaijan (AZSTAND) was established by Decree No. 623 on December 27, 2001 to become the main authority for creating and enforcing standardization policy in Azerbaijan. It is backed by the following 6 State standards of law “On Standardization”: (AZS 1.0-96, AZS 1.2-96, AZS 1.3-96, AZS 1.4-96, AZS 1.5-96, AZS 1.6-96). AZSTAND is officially a member of the International Standards Organization. These are the following Duties of the Agency as stated on a state website99: •
To implement the state policy in the field of standardization, metrology, certification and protection of objects of the industrial property
98
European Commission. "Single market for goods Prevention of technical barriers to trade." Enterprise and Industry. http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/single-market-goods/ prevention-technical-barriers-trade/index_en.htm (accessed November 1, 2010). Heydar Aliyev Foundation. State Committee On Standardization, Meteorology, and Patents of Azerbaijan Republic. http://www.country.az/portal/StatePower/Committee/committeeConcern_12_e.html (accessed November 1, 2010)
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