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​Website: www.bbs.gov.bz  |  Facebook: @belizebureauofstandards  |  Hotline: 0-800-2-TELL-US
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The Belize Bureau of Standards was legally established on May 16th of 1992. Like most Bureau of Standards in the CARICOM Region it was born out of a Weights and Measures Act, which was typical of British Colonies. Within this confine, the Weights and Measures arm had a singular responsibility to ensure that the imperial system of measurement was upheld in daily trade. As the global trading environment evolved, Bureaux as recognized National Standard Bodies, were spurred to adopt legal and institutional frameworks to best suit this new trading environment. This precipitated the need for a broader scope that extended the functions of Bureaux to encompass the fundamental pillars of Quality Infrastructure which not only included weights and measures but also standardization, certification and accreditation.

Founded on this premise, the Belize Bureau of Standards was envisioned from inception, to lead the national effort of developing a functional National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) for Belize. By default, it would over successive administrations, become a permanent figure within the Ministry portfolio of Trade, Commerce and Industry. Principally known by the general public to improve, protect and safeguard the welfare of consumers, the Bureau has for the most, been viewed as an enforcement agency which is not uncommon in CARICOM. Its institutional focus was therefore limited to an extent and the opportunity to develop the NQI, while not forgotten, struggled to take flight.

In 2008, more than a decade after its establishment, the Bureau with national and regional support turned an important corner and has since, been on a gradual path of transformation, to become a key contributor to the development of trade, commerce and industry in Belize. In 2010, an opportunity to install a physical structure to support and build on its mandate would lend to the procurement of funds under the EU Funded Belize Rural Development Project II. This would allow it to pursue the construction of Metrology laboratories, the most costly of the pillars of Quality Infrastructure.

​During the course of construction the Bureau internalized its institutional needs priming itself to become more customer focused and set sights on pursuing ISO certification. On January 27th of 2016, it would become the first Government Department to have received international recognition to the ISO 9001:2008 standard for Quality Management System.
Long as this journey and struggle has been, the Bureau is impressing and solidifying its role to become more a service oriented and trade facilitating agency in Belize, hereby executing a mandate it was always meant to fulfill.

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BBS mandate consists primarily of fulfilling its responsibility to implement and enforce the Standards Act, National Metrology Act and Supplies Control Act.

The Functions of the Units are as follows:
  • The Standards Unit (SU) is required to develop voluntary and compulsory standards while also promoting the use of regional and international standards across the goods and services sector. The standardization process also seeks compliance with Belize's obligations relating to the WTO Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement (TBT) namely the Code of Good.· Practice for the development of standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment as prescribed in Annex 3 of the TBT Agreement.
  • The Metrology Unit (MU) is required to ensure that all systems of measurements and instruments of measurements used in trade, commerce and industry are traceable to the international system of units (SI) which is recognized as the modem form of the metric system. With limited staff; the unit is primarily focused on Legal Metrology activities, a branch that involves the monitoring and verification of measuring and weighing devices to ensure accuracy in accordance with international requirements as per the OIML.
  • The Consumer Protection Unit (CPU} is required to address all matters relating to consumer protection. It provides support to all three units of the Bureau of Standards particularly in the area of market surveillance at the same time engaging other relevant authorities that have a mandate for issues relevant to consumer protection. The unit is ultimately pursuing the establishment of a Consumer Protection Legislation that it is currently promoting for national endorsement. Market surveys are conducted on scheduled basis. This unit also conducts investigation based on complaints received from the public.
  • The Supplies Control Unit (SC) has the mandate for price controls, import/export controls through the price and licensing regimes and the issuance of "Belize Market Labels". Considering human resource limitations this unit depends heavily on other units within the organization to assist in the collection of relevant data in the market. Primarily it is required to ensure that the licensing regime is compatible with the WTO Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures.

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Ministry of Economic Development, Petroleum, Investment, Trade and Commerce
Power Lane, Ministry of Works Compound
P.O. Box 430
City of Belmopan
Cayo
Phone Number: +501-822-0446 or +501-822-0447
Fax Number: +501-822-2571

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