The National Institute of Standards and Technology will host a meeting to help strengthen U.S. standardization efforts that help developing nations build their economies.The Options for Actions Summit will include trading partners’ assessments of U.S. standards-setting activities provided by government or industry representatives from China, Egypt, Europe, Japan and Mexico. Panelists will review how the United States has performed in efforts to advance a global standards agenda.

The opening session will review the United States Standards Strategy, the National Export Strategy and the Commerce Department’s “Standards and Competitiveness” initiative. Breakout sessions will concentrate on current U.S. outreach and capacity-building initiatives in specific regions. Discussions will focus on identifying best practices, “do’s and don’ts”, and activities that deserve more attention.

Organizations that have been invited to participate include the National Association of Manufacturers, U.S. Trade Representative’s Office, International Trade Administration and World Bank. The summit will be held July 18–19 at the NIST campus in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

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