Manama: Abdullah bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce and Chairman of the National Committee for Standardisation and Metrology, chaired the committee's 61st meeting. The minister commended the committee's role in strengthening the partnership between the ministry and relevant entities in the sector of standardisation. He underscored the ministry's commitment to monitoring developments in specifications and metrology.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the meeting reviewed key agenda items, including updates on national technical regulations for energy efficiency, in line with government programme commitments under the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NEEAP). The ministry has launched an awareness campaign to ensure compliance with regulations while maintaining the smooth flow of goods in local markets. Additionally, Bahrain participated in the Economic Operators Forum in Riyadh, organised by the GCC Standardisation Organisation, which brought together global manufacturers and regulatory entities to outline product manufacturing and import requirements for Bahrain.
Discussions also covered Bahrain's efforts in the halal industry and related services. The ministry, in cooperation with the Bahrain Testing and Metrology Directorate (BTMD) and the Ministry of Municipalities and Agriculture Affairs, conducted field visits to established halal certification bodies. These included the SMIIC (The Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries) in Trkiye, Halal Center Quality Certification in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the Saudi Halal Centre, to exchange expertise and review best practices.
The committee also reviewed the progress of the National Measurement Laboratory in enhancing its technical capabilities. In 2024, the laboratory will participate in inter-laboratory comparisons with national metrology institutes from various countries to benchmark its measurement capabilities and align with international standards set by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures.