who we are

Our Mandate

The mandate of the Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency is to administer, maintain and ensure compliance with compulsory standards for the purpose of public safety and health, consumer protection and environmental protection.

Functions of the Agency

1. administer, maintain and ensure compliance with compulsory standards;
2. give premarket approval of high risk commodities falling within the scope of compulsory standards;
3. conduct market surveillance for products falling within the scope of compulsory standards in order to monitor post market compliance of commodities with compulsory standards;
4. educate the public on compulsory standards and provide public information for the protection of the consumers on products and services which do not comply with the Act;
5. cooperate with Ministries and other State institutions and international organisations in enforcing compulsory standards; and
6. do all such things as are connected with, or incidental to, the functions of the Agency under the Act.

Implementation of the Act

The Agency may, in the implementation of its functions under this Act
Enter into agreements with conformity assessment service providers to inspect, test or analyze samples on behalf of the Agency

Establish specialist committees to provide input into the process of interpreting and implementing compulsory standards
Participate in activities of regional or international bodies with similar functions to those of the Agency
Establish pre and post market surveillance systems; and obtain information from suppliers of commodities falling within the scope of compulsory standards

The Agency may:

• Withdraw the declaration of a compulsory standard in relation to a product or service
• Determine the fees payable for an inspection conducted for the purposes of this Act
• Determine fees for the testing and analysis of samples
• Determine what portion of any fee is payable in respect of any part of a year and the date on which the fee or portion of the fee is payable