All public utilities in the Vitebsk region will complete work on the implementation of the ISO 9001 system in the Year of Quality

February 4, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. All communal property enterprises in the Vitebsk region, during the Year of Quality, must complete the implementation and certification of production in accordance with the ISO 9001 quality management system. This task has been set for the enterprises by the regional plan of measures for holding the Year of Quality, Pavel Yakovlev, Director of the RUP "Vitebsk Center for Standardization, Metrology and Certification," told a BELTA correspondent. As of January 1, 2010, 221 enterprises in the region hold ISO 9001 certificates, of which 71 are communal property. In the current year, in accordance with the state program "Quality," it is planned to complete the certification of production in accordance with the quality management system at the remaining 32 enterprises subordinate to local authorities. During the Year of Quality, communal property processing enterprises will have to implement a food quality and safety management system based on risk analysis and critical control points (HACCP). Currently, 21 enterprises in the region hold this certificate. As emphasized by Pavel Yakovlev, food producers have been set another challenging task, driven by the need to enter new markets - to master testing and laboratory research methods that comply with EU directives. Its solution will depend on the coordinated actions of sanitary and veterinary services and the State Committee for Standardization. Along with organizational measures, the draft plan of measures for the Year of Quality in the region includes technological and technical sections. They include measures related to technical re-equipment, modernization of production, and the development of new technologies, which should contribute to the production of high-quality products. As Pavel Yakovlev noted, "the time has come when the price factor is giving way to quality indicators when choosing a product." The draft regional plan of measures for holding the Year of Quality has been coordinated with all services of the regional executive committee and will soon be submitted for consideration by the members of the regional executive committee. -0-