Project

A. General Information

1. Title

Electronic Exchange and Mutual Recognition of Conformity Certificates and Test Reports in the CAREC Region

2. Status of the project
Pilot
3. Implementation period of the project/service:
From
December 2025
To
July 2028
4. Website
https://www.adb.org/projects/58082-005/main
5. Geographical coverage
Regional: Asia and the Pacific
Participating countries: Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan
6. Participating agencies/entities of the project/service:
a. Development stage
Lead agencies/entities
Asian Development Bank (ADB) / Korea Trade Network (KTNET) / United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP)
Other participating agencies/entities
National Standard Authorities / Accreditation Bodies / Conformity Assessment Bodies of Azerbaijan, Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan / Hub operator: Korea Trade Network (KTNET), Republic of Korea
b. Operational stage
Lead agencies/entities (op)
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Other participating agencies/entities (op)
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7. Main stakeholders/beneficiaries of the project
Traders (big enterprises)
Traders (SMEs)
Customs
Other Government Agencies (OGAs)
8. Business process category of the project
Regulatory/official control

B. Lessons Learned

9. Summary description of the project/service
Brief Summary

ADB, KTNET, and UNESCAP are implementing a pilot project to develop a model for the electronic exchange and mutual recognition of conformity certificates and test reports among five CAREC member states — Azerbaijan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan — with the aim of reducing processing time and eliminating redundant testing requirements for traded products.

a. Objective(s)
  1. Develop and test a prototype model for the electronic exchange of conformity certificates and test reports among participating CAREC member states (Phase 1)
  2. Establish a mutual recognition framework for electronically exchanged certificates among participating countries (Phase 2)
b. Business need for the project (background)

Cross-border interoperability for conformity certificates and test reports has yet to be established among CAREC member states, resulting in duplicated testing requirements and increased trade costs. Acceptance of electronic trade documents has yet to be fully realized in most CAREC countries.

c. Business process covered*
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d. Overall architecture and functionalities*

The e-Cert Hub, operated by KTNET, functions as a trust framework — not a document repository — routing and verifying certificate exchange data without central storage. Participating country systems connect to the Hub via API; a web-based interface is provided for countries lacking API-capable national systems.

e. Relevant document/figure
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10. Documents and data exchanged via the project
  • Conformity Certificates
  • Test Reports
11. Data models/databases, proprietary solutions, hybrid approaches

Hybrid approach: digitally signed PDF conformity certificates and test reports with a Minimum Viable Dataset (MVD) of common metadata. REST API for institutions with API capability; web-based Hub Portal for others.

12. Main challenges faced during the project
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13. Lessons learned from the project
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14. Main benefit(s) of the project
Transaction Cost savings*
Transaction Time savings
Simplified process
Increased trade flow
14A. Elaborations/detailed description on benefits gained

Electronic exchange and mutual recognition of conformity certificates will eliminate duplicate testing requirements, reducing compliance costs and processing time for exporters trading within the CAREC region. Phase 2 pilot target: minimum 60 certificate exchanges.

15. Technical/financial/capacity building/other assistance

Financial support US$ 900,000 — Republic of Korea e-Asia and Knowledge Partnership Fund

Technical assistance

  • KTNET: e-Cert Hub development and operation, web-based interface for countries without API-capable systems, system integration support
  • UNESCAP: international best practices, standards alignment, knowledge management

Capacity building

  • Workshops, Invitation training programme, Study tour to Korea Conformity Laboratories (KCL)
16. Future plan for expansion of the project
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17. Other information or relevant references on the project
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18. Relevant document regarding the project
S4_KTNET_MRA_Digital_v1.0.pdf

C. Relevant Standards

19. Name(s) of any international, national legal instrument underpinning the project
Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific (CPTA), Article 13 — Pilot projects and sharing of lessons learned. Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) to be developed in Phase 2.
20. Electronic message standard
20A. Electronic message standard supporting the project
XML
20B. Type of standard for electronic message applied for the project
Technical recommendations from international body(ies)
21. Technical communication standard
21A. Technical communication standard supporting the project
HTTP
21B. Type of technical communication standard applied for the project
International standard
22. Security-related standards*
22A. Security-related standard supporting the project
TLS (Transport Layer Security) / SSL (Secure Socket Layer)
Digital signatures
22B. Type of security-related standard applied for the project
International standard
23. Other Technical Information
23A. Interface developed for data exchange with an internal system
Dual-interface: REST API for institutions with API capability; web-based Hub Portal for others. KTNET provides specifications; each participating institution implements the connection on its own system side.
23B. Other technical implementation information
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Last Update: 30 September 2026