From the past years a directorate called Norm and Standards commences their activities under framework of respectable ministries such as Mines, Economic, Commerce and Plans, but unfortunately, despite arranging some disposable Norms in context of compiling and adaptation of standards under guidance of international standards organization, no practical action has been done.

After the fall of Taliban regime and  the establishment of the Islamic transitional government and adoption of Afghan constitution, which guarantees the principles of the market economy in the country, the head of Afghanistan`s Islamic transitional state by considering the importance of the standards management and its role in growth of the economy of the country, at the joint suggestion of the ministries of Finance and Commerce, National Standards administration was established within the framework of ministry of commerce. 

Subsequently, considering the decisive and key role of the Standards Office in economic growth and development, strengthening the private sector, consumer protection and environmental protection through the development, approval, implementation and monitoring of the implementation of national standards, the Council of Ministers of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan sanction No. (20) dated 5/29/2007 approved this management as an independent authority, which was later approved by the General Assembly of Afghanistan by a majority of votes by presenting convincing reasons on March 27, 2007 and thus within the framework of the basic organization of the government was incorporated, Which is certainly considered a fundamental step in the history of activities related to norms and standards in the country.

The goals of this bureau is development and strengthen the foundation of national quality, betterment of commercial goods (imports, exports), manufactured products and service processes, determination of effective operation of national and economic resources, providing the accuracy and immunity of the eccentricity and environmental protection, encouragement of private sector to contribute in the process of standardizing, metrology and analyzing the similarity and providing them field of activity.

The objectives of this bureau are to strengthen and create a national quality infrastructure, improve the quality of commercial property (imported and exported), manufactured products and service processes, establish consumption norms for effective use of national and economic resources, ensure the safety and security of consumers and encouragement of private sector to contribute Conducting in standardization processes, metrology and conformity assessment and providing them their field of activity.

Fortunately, in the short time the National Standards authority has been able to obtain the main membership of international standards organization (ISO), international electro technical commission (IEC), and the board of directors of the standards and metrology institute of Islamic countries (SMIIC) and other international and regional organizations.

The National Standards authority operates in practically eleven sectors to codifies national standards, which include:

1. Petroleum products
2.  Pharmaceutics and cosmetics materials
3. Constructional materials
4.  Food 
5. Metrology
6. Environment
7. Electro technic and Telecommunication
8.  Textile and leather
9. Chemicals and plastics
10. Quality management system
11. National Constructional fertilizers

In case of access to financial, technical and human resources, new sectors such as metallurgy, mining and other required sectors will be activated. Matters related to the stabilization of expenditure norms were handed over from the Ministry of Mines to the National Standards Office in the month of Cancer in 2008. The stabilization of the norm itself plays a major role in accurately measuring fuel consumption and depreciation for equipment, vehicles and preventing waste of resources. Prevents abuse and corruption.

 

 

 

 

History of standard in the world

Standard establishes a vital and important bond with regards to international trade, access to markets and competition in exports. In order to expand trade relations, defining standards and technical specifications are a must to get access to markets. Optional standards and required technical regulations specifies which goods can be trade off, and put in place procedures for those purposes.

Historians believe that standards and defining norms were first used by ancient Greece. They used standards to measure bricks they would use to construct buildings with.

In renaissance era standards developed in a new form since they economic and cultural ties between venz people evolved and led to needs for building warfare tools and equipment, for which they needed standards.

They would utilize standards to measure different parts of a ship and pair them in a normalized fashion with less time spent.

Soon it was forgotten how venzians used to pair different parts of a ship through using standard units. Finally, the very first accepted set of standards for pairing ships was introduced in between 1940 and 1930.

Discovering the secrets behind ancient orthography led to studies on standards. Early scholars continued their research’s for long yet no profound result was obtained. Most of them believed those standards were related to ancient Greek, Mexicans, and ancient China-Hindu civilization.

Despite the improvements in east civilizations, ancient Greek is believed to be the core of civilization. Because it has been the home for different scholars from all varieties of disciplines ranging from literature, archaeology. Standardized pillars build in that time are proved stable.

In middle centuries with the industrial and technological evolutions, standard have been

used more often. Standards for measurement of different goods and materials have been defined and accepted. Generalizing and globalization of these norms and standards had a profound impact in global business productivity.

Prior to that, different measurements modes were prevalent in different zones and they were established with no mechanism.

Meter was defined as mean of measuring distance for the first time in France in 1970, which was 40 million times smaller than earth’s hour clock.

Later on in 1875, 17 other countries agreed to accept meter as standard measurement for measuring distance.

This was a milestone in establishing an international system of standards which then had a significant impact on science and technological developments.

In the last decade of 19s, industries showed tendency toward having international standards for their products and goods which led to establishment of standard by world’s developed countries.

So in 1901 UK Standards Committee was held aimed at enhancing economic developments through defining, generalizing and applying standards.