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Big Third-Party Certifiers and the Construction of Transnational Regulation

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  • Jean-Pierre Galland

Abstract

International trade is increasingly regulated through standardization, certification, and accreditation. To ensure that consumers can trust that the products they buy meet regulators’ standards, third-party certifiers and accreditation bodies, which “certify the certifiers,†act as intermediaries enlisted to deliver conformity assessment certificates to producers. This article explores how a few third-party certifiers have exploited their position between multiple regulators and diverse targets to invest in a growing number of sectors, expand globally, and become preferred advisers to regulators. As regulators enlist them to standardize certification practices, big third-party certifiers (BTPCs) advise regulators to set system-based regulations that are better suited to their own organizations and networks of international subsidiaries.

Suggested Citation

  • Jean-Pierre Galland, 2017. "Big Third-Party Certifiers and the Construction of Transnational Regulation," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 670(1), pages 263-279, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:anname:v:670:y:2017:i:1:p:263-279
    DOI: 10.1177/0002716217694589
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Graeme Auld & Stefan Renckens, 2017. "Rule-Making Feedbacks through Intermediation and Evaluation in Transnational Private Governance," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 670(1), pages 93-111, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Martino Maggetti & Christian Ewert & Philipp Trein, 2017. "Not Quite the Same," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 670(1), pages 152-169, March.
    2. Kenneth W. Abbott & David Levi-faur & Duncan Snidal, 2017. "Theorizing Regulatory Intermediaries," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 670(1), pages 14-35, March.
    3. Tetty Havinga & Paul Verbruggen, 2017. "Understanding Complex Governance Relationships in Food Safety Regulation," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 670(1), pages 58-77, March.
    4. Allison Marie Loconto, 2017. "Models of Assurance," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 670(1), pages 112-132, March.
    5. Graeme Auld & Stefan Renckens, 2017. "Rule-Making Feedbacks through Intermediation and Evaluation in Transnational Private Governance," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 670(1), pages 93-111, March.
    6. Andreas Kruck, 2017. "Asymmetry in Empowering and Disempowering Private Intermediaries," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 670(1), pages 133-151, March.

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