Address Highlights Importance of International Standards

Published: Monday, August 9, 2004 - 22:00

The presidents of the International Organization for Standardization and the International Electrotechnical Commission and the secretary-general of the International Telecommunications Union recently highlighted the importance of international standards in a joint address.

The annual message was delivered in Geneva in honor of the approaching celebration of World Standards Day, Oct. 13. ISO President Oliver Smoot, IEC President Sei-ichi Takayanagi and ITU Secretary-General Yoshio Utsumi issued it together.

They stressed that standards are the glue holding international trade together. “The products and services shaped by international standards need to be transported, delivered, transferred or otherwise exchanged between suppliers and their customers or end users,” the address reads. “Exchange necessitates connections and interfaces. International standards harmonize the connections and facilitate exchange by ensuring smoother, swifter, safer and more economical delivery.”

Futhermore, the leaders said, the awareness and adoption of standards by developing countries help them gain entry to international markets. “In addition to connecting markets, international standards connect developing countries and transition economies to state-of-the-art technological know-how, enabling them to increase their export capability and competitiveness.”

World Standards Day has been observed by the United States standards community, designated by ISO, IEC and ITU, since 1990. This year, the U.S. observance will be held on Oct. 13 at the Chamber of Commerce building in Washington, D.C. The event will include a reception, exhibits, dinner and the presentation of the Ronald H. Brown Standards Leadership Award. The administering agency for this year’s event is the Aerospace Industries Association.

For more information, visit the American National Standards Institute online.

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