MBS to increase cess levy on imported products

Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) says its approved reform areas for implementation will require the organisation to increase cess levy on imported products to enable it undertake increased standardisation work.

In a statement on Thursday signed by MBS director general Davlin Chokazinga, it said President Mutharika has approved reform areas to be implemented.

He said: “Reforms will require the MBS to increase cess levy [to carry out] more standardisation work in such areas as acquisition and maintenance of state-of-the-art test and calibration equipment for the facilitation of industrial development.

“International liaison with international standards setting organisations such as the International Organisation for Standardiation [ISO], International Electrotechnical Commission [IEC] and the International Organisation of Legal Metrology [OIML]. As well as with regional bodies.

The statement further says MBS will also embark on the implementation of the standardisation, quality assurance, accreditation and metrology (Sqam) project. n