CAREC Pilot Project on Electronic Exchange and Mutual Recognition of Conformity Certificates: Kickoff Workshop
ADB, Korea Trade Network (KTNET), and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) are implementing a pilot project to develop a model for the electronic exchange and mutual recognition of conformity certificates and test reports, with the aim of reducing processing time in selected products traded among member countries. The pilot covers five CAREC member countries: Azerbaijan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
The pilot project’s kickoff workshop was held on 1–2 June 2026 in Incheon, Republic of Korea. The meeting discussed the pilot project’s digitalization model; the current baseline of institutional and technical readiness among the pilot countries; key issues and priority interventions at the national and regional levels; criteria for identifying pilot products; and international best practices in electronic exchange and mutual recognition. The participants agreed on a practical and gradual approach, selecting two products for pilot implementation, and developing an e-Cert Hub, which will be trust framework and not a document repository, for exchange of certificates. Following the workshop, a half-day study tour was organized to demonstrate the testing facility and certification and document issuance workflow of the Korea Conformity Laboratories.
The pilot project is among the priority initiatives under the CAREC Partnership for Trade, Climate and Innovation signed in Baku in November 2024 and was launched at the 24th CAREC Ministerial Conference in Bishkek in 2025. It is aligned with the UN Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific.
Key Materials
List of Participants (ENG)
Presentations
Introduction to ADB CAREC Work on Digital Trade
Session 1: Best Global Practices in Electronic Exchange and Mutual Recognition
Session 2: Overview of Digitalization Model (ENG | RUS)
Session 3: Preliminary Analysis of Pilot Countries’ Readiness (ENG | RUS)
Session 4: Selection Criteria for Pilot Products (ENG | RUS)
Session 5: Key Technical, Legal and Regulatory Issues (ENG | RUS)
Session 6: Synthesis and Next Steps (ENG | RUS)
Session 7: Study Tour at Korea Conformity Laboratories (ENG | RUS)
The pilot is implemented under TA 10730: Implementing the CAREC Integrated Trade Agenda 2030 (Phase 2): Accelerating Digital Trade (Subproject 3), with support from the Republic of Korea e-Asia and Knowledge Partnership Fund.