2005 ANSI Conference on U.S. Leadership

1
ISO Developing Countries

• 2005 ANSI Conference on U.S. Leadership
• in ISO and IEC
• Presented by
• Dr. Carmiña Londoño
• Group Leader, Global Standards and Information
  Group,
• National Institute of Standards and Technology

2
ISO Developing Countries - Outline

• DEVCO in the ISO context
• The Standards Challenge for Developing Countries
  
• ISO Demographics
• ISOs Plans
• Conclusions

3
DEVCO in the ISO context

• DEVCO is the ISO Developing Countries Committee
• DEVCO is a policy committees of the ISO similar
  in nature to CASCO, REMCO, COPOLCO
• ISO has 156 national members, ISO has 178 active
  TCs, ISO has 150 staff in Geneva
• Developing countries represent approximately 75
  of the ISO membership.

4
Common challenges?

• Both Developed and Developing Countries want to
  expand markets for their products and services
• Standards play a key role in opening new markets
  and sustaining new opportunities
• Developed and Developing Countries face many
  (often common) trade related standards and
  conformity assessment challenges
• Both Developed and Developing Countries view
  China as a great opportunity and also a challenge

5

• According to the 2001 World Bank report titled
  Global Economics Prospects, Reshaping Global
  Trade Architecture for Development
• Not only do standards assist in the creation of
  a domestic market and increase competitiveness,
  but they also provide tools to manufacturers and
  exporters in developing countries for strategic
  planning, improving the quality of products and
  services and improving access to export
  markets.
• International standards are key to improving
  developing countries' access to international
  markets and to strengthening their ability to
  implement international trade obligations.
• Dont these statements apply to
• Developed Countries also?

6
Why seek the input of developing countries

• Standards developed through any international
  body and in this case we are referring ISO
  process may end up being of questionable value
  and market relevance to developing countries if
  their input and market realities are not included
  in the standards
• Without proper input ISO can end developing
  MARKET IRRELEVANT standards!

7
What is the Reality at ISO as an International
Body?

• 52 of the ISO NSBs from developing countries
  have not had any delegates or experts attend any
  ISO TC, SC or WG meeting over a two-year period.
• 48 of the ISO NSBs from developing countries do
  not follow any technical work by correspondence.
• The number of ISO secretariats held by developing
  countries is low
• 86 of ISO National Standards Bodies (NSBs) from
  developing countries are governmental agencies
• In 61 of these developing countries, 50 or more
  of their mandatory technical regulations are not
  based on international standards
• 25 of the ISO NSBs in developing countries
  publish 150 standards or less

8
How is ISO responding?

• In September 2002 a Global Workshop was held in
  Stockholm to discuss the participation of
  Developing Countries in standardization
• The ISO Council Task Force on Developing
  Countries recommended a Program of Action based
  on
• The ISO DEVCO/TMB Survey
• The WTO TBT Survey of Needs
• The IAF Survey of Needs to establish clear
  priorities
• The list of recommendations from the September
  Stockholm workshop

9
Action Plan for Developing Countries for
2005-2010 has five key objectives

• Improve awareness of key stakeholders in
  developing countries of the role of
  standardization in economic growth, world trade
  and sustainable development.
• Build capacity of ISO members and stakeholders
  involved in developing the standardization
  infrastructure and participating in international
  standardization work.
• Increase national and regional cooperation to
  share experience, resources, training,
  information and communications technologies.
• Develop electronic communication and expertise in
  IT tools to participate in international
  standardization work, reach out to stakeholders
  and make efficient use of ISO e-services.
• Increase participation in governance and
  technical work of ISO to voice priorities,
  contribute and influence the technical content of
  ISO deliverables.

10
Funding for Developing Countries through ISO

• ISO is not itself a funding agency.
• The ISO Action Plan for developing countries is
  dependent on technical and financial assistance
  received from members, international development
  and aid agencies, governments and donor
  organizations.
• Donations by ISO members constitute the
  Funds-in-trust for developing countries.
  Contributions from sources external to ISO are
  used to finance specific projects jointly agreed
  between ISO, the donor and the final
  beneficiaries.
• The technical assistance projects are designed in
  such a way that donor agencies are able to
  implement their own priorities with respect to
  the kind of assistance offered and in relation to
  regions or groups of countries of particular
  interest to them.

11
Update on Specific ISO Activities for Developing
Countries

• ISO DEVCO Chairs Advisory Group.
• ISO DEVCO Meeting Breakout Sessions.
• Discontinuing and Updating ISO Manuals.
• ISO ICT Assistance.
• ISO Training Programs.
• ISO Travel Assistance to Developing Country
  Representatives.
• ISO DEVCO Test Drive Program.

12
Conclusions (or questions?)

• Has ISO responded effectively to the development
  of standards that are market relevant to both the
  Developed and Developing Countries?
• How is ISO measuring the impact of the DEVCO
  programs that are being implemented as part of
  its Strategic Plan?
• Are Developed Countries better off funding
  developing countries directly and not through
  DEVCO programs?
• Is it important to make friends from the
  developing countries to get support for U.S.
  positions at international fora?

13
Conclusions (or questions?)

• Everything said this morning about building
  relationships and trust with China to get their
  valuable technical input into the standards
  development process also applies to rest of the
  developing countries.
• Mark said that the rules were developed without
  the technical input of many players around the
  world should the rules be revisited?
• Isnt involving developing countries in the
  internationals standardization process simply
  enlightened self-interest for developed
  countries?
• Having a world where there are countries that
  have all the advantages (real or not) and
  countries that cannot effectively participate in
  the standardization process does not lead in the
  long run to sustainable markets for exports.