Consumer safety, fair trade, and industrial competitiveness heavily rely on the seamless integration of legal metrology, accredited testing, and robust market surveillance. As global supply chains evolve, modern regulators face unprecedented challenges driven by cross-border e-commerce, complex digital products, and chemical or material safety compliance. This special session addresses the critical nexus between metrology and product safety, focusing on how harmonized measurement science, chemical analysis, and standardized conformity assessment serve as the backbone for consumer protection and a level playing field in global markets.

Importance to Society and Industry

For society, effective product safety regulations backed by sound metrology prevent the circulation of hazardous goods – such as toxic chemical residues, restricted substances in consumer items, and substandard materials – safeguarding public health and consumer trust. For industry, reliable measurement and testing infrastructure reduce technical barriers to trade, lower compliance costs, and protect manufacturers from unfair competition posed by non-compliant imports. Accurate and traceable measurements ensure that conformity assessments are reproducible and legally defensible worldwide.

The Role of Metrology and Accredited Testing

Traceable measurements and accredited testing laboratories (ISO/IEC 17025) provide the technical objectivity required for regulatory enforcement. Whether dealing with physical parameters or chemical composition, without rigorous metrological foundations, compliance testing lacks comparability, leading to trade disputes and safety risks. This session highlights the latest advancements in reference materials, chemical metrology, uncertainty evaluation, and standardized testing methodologies that underpin high-integrity conformity assessment systems.