You can see hands on the keyboard of a laptop, with 'Technical Regulations' written in bold letters on the monitor.

Enhancing Trade and Safety

Introduction: We are pleased to announce the release of the revised edition of the Technical Regulations booklet, a valuable resource for regulators and policymakers working towards implementing improved regulatory processes. Developed by PTB (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt) and ITC (International Trade Centre), this updated version aims to address the challenges of developing and enforcing technical regulations in…

Many stacked hands.

Now available in French: The NAFP guide has been updated!

The PTB guide on National Accreditation Focal Points (NAFP), which was first published in 2015, was recently updated and is now available in its newest version in our collection of publications. Also, it is now available in French for the first time. This publication describes the NAFP concept which was developed by PTB and associated…

Front cover of the study Quality Infrastructure for Photovoltaic systems

Long-awaited study published: Quality Infrastructure for Photovoltaic Systems

The Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) has published a comprehensive study on how to assure safety, quality and sustainability in the photovoltaic sector in emerging and developing economies. The study Quality Infrastructure on Photovoltaic Systems was elaborated by Ferdinand Consultants with inputs from the PTB project teams and from international contributors. In many countries, the reputation of…

Abstract background. Futuristic earth map technology.

New User Guide for the QI Rapid Diagnostic Toolkit

Back in 2019, PTB released the Quality Infrastructure (QI) diagnostic and reform toolkit in cooperation with the World Bank Group. It consists of several elements, but the Rapid Diagnostic Tool (RDT) has proven to be the most popular. Since the beginning of this year, a practical User Guide has been available with tips on effectively…

A statue of the goddess Justitia holds a pair of scales.

Quality Infrastructure and Good Governance

The term “good governance” is often understood as conducting the public affairs of a country responsibly. Good governance is a key element of Germany’s development cooperation policy. Its goal is to make sure that a government uses its political power responsibly and handles public resources with care. Good governance implies that the state assumes a…

A blue world map focused on the African continent made of dots. The map features red circles and points connected by fine lines.

Quality for Africa: Assessing Zambia’s national quality infrastructure

The Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) has published a new assessment report providing an analysis of the national quality infrastructure (NQI) of Zambia. PTB is supporting the implementation of a long-term strategy called “Quality for Africa” within the scope of the Pan-African “Upgrading of Quality Infrastructure in Africa” project. One of the objectives is to assist the…

Photo of the Masurian Lake District in Poland. You can see a wide lake landscape with green shores and trees.

Sustainable water management through QI

How can quality infrastructure (QI) contribute to protecting water resources? In a new brochure Quality Infrastructure and Water, PTB’s International Cooperation group gives a 4-page summary of how it supports its partner countries in this regard. This includes supplying an adequate amount of drinking water to the population, disposal and treatment of waste water as…

Determining the status quo of national quality infrastructure

Determining the current state of development is a first step toward needs-based support for the establishment and expansion of national quality infrastructure (QI). The quality infrastructure system of each country requires continued further development in order to meet the needs of industry. However, needs and potential can vary from country to country. Each QI system…