The CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) was created as an Inter-Gorvernmental Organisation by the signing of an agreement among fourteen Member States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

It was provisionally applied after being signed at the Heads of Government Meeting in Belize City, Belize by eight Member States in February 2002. CROSQ was formally launched at its first General Assembly in St. Vincent in April 2002. The organisation's headquarters was established in Barbados in April 2003 although the Headquarter's Agreement was not signed until January 2007. Associate membership is open to members of the Caribbean community and political entities of the Association of Caribbean States. Once the CROSQ Council is of the opinion that the potential member is willing and able to enjoy the rights and assume the obligations of membership as set out in the Agreement, the member is accepted.

CROSQ is the regional centre for promoting efficiency and competitive production in goods and services, through the process of standardization and the verification of quality. It is the successor to the Caribbean Common Market Standards Council (CCMSC), and supports the CARICOM mandate in the expansion of intra-regional and extra-regional trade in goods and services. CROSQ is mandated to represent the interest of the region in international hemispheric standards work, to promote the harmonization of metrology systems and standards, and to increase the pace of development of regional standards for the sustainable production of goods and services in the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), and the enhancement of social and economic development.

Vision statement

"The premier CARICOM organisation for the development and promotion of an Internationally Recognised Regional Quality Infrastructure"

Mission statement

"The promotion and development of standards and standards related activities to facilitate international competitiveness and sustainable production of goods and services within the CARICOM Single Market Economy for the enhancement of social and economic development"

Mandate and Objectives

The key objectives of the Intergovernmental Agreement establishing CROSQ are to:

1. Promote the development and harmonization of standards, metrology, technical regulations and the mutual recognition of conformity assessment procedures covering goods and services produced and provided in the Region with the aim of facilitating trade and supporting the establishment of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME);

2. Encourage the mutual recognition of accreditation and certification systems which are based on internationally accepted criteria;

3. Facilitate the achievement of international competitiveness of regional goods and services by fostering a culture of quality in regional enterprises;

4. Support standards infrastructure development at the national level;

5. Promote consumer welfare and safety;

6. Through its operations, contribute to the preservation of the environment and conservation of natural resources of the Region;

7. Provide guidance to regional organizations and bodies regarding matters within its competence, including dispute settlement;

8. Promote and protect the interests of State Parties and Associate Members in the regional and international standardization for a, including external negotiations; and

9. Promote awareness of standards and standards-related matters in governments, and industry and commerce.