An equally acute problem for suppliers has been the increased administrative load that must be carried because of the need to support the declaration of conformity with compliance folders or technical construction files. The need for suppliers to determine for themselves what constitutes an adequate compliance folder also created a good deal of uncertainty as to what was expected by the regulator. Addressing these problems required both a lengthy phase-in period and a significant commitment by the regulator to information dissemination. In Australia SDoC is invisible to end-users. However, the introduction of SDoC has not reduced end user protections in any measurable way.
Standards are generally the means for setting the regulatory objectives required of products.
Where standards are unclear or capable of more than one interpretation it becomes increasingly difficult to exercise a declaration, particularly where regulators technical skills are reduced. Other remedies may be found through testing and certification bodies, but ideally the standards themselves should be capable of use under a SDoC regime. WTO ITA could consider issues affecting participation by a broader range of countries in international standards writing bodies. The change of role for regulators implied by SDoC may result in a reduction of service levels by regulators. SDoC is a system based on the responsibility of suppliers and under this arrangement governments have reduced or redirected resources within regulatory organisations.