G/TBT/GEN/152  
 
30 July 2013  
(13-4086)  Page: 1/8  
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
 IEC ACTIVITIES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES (MARCH – JUNE 2013) 
 
This document contains information provided by the IEC (International Electrotechnical 
Commission) at the TBT Committee meeting of 17, 19-20 June 2013 under Agenda Item 5 (Update 
by Observers). 
 
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This report to the WTO Technical Barriers to Trade Committee highlights the activities of the IEC, 
its Members, Affiliates and Regional Centres related to increasing the participation of developing countries in IEC International Standardization and Conformity Assessment activities. 
1  THE IEC FAMILY GROWS 
1.1.  In April 2013, the IEC Affiliate Country Programme welcomed the Republic of South Sudan as 
its newest participant bringing the total number of countries in the IEC Family to 164: 82 Members 
and 82 Affiliates. South Sudan is faced with the challenge of developing its infrastructure and 
industry. One of the steps that the Ministry of Elec tricity and Dams has already taken is to join the 
IEC Affiliate Country Programme as the country will have greater need for electricity than ever before. Though South Sudan does not yet have a national standardization organization, it was able 
to join the Programme as any other organization entitled to identify and recommend international 
standards for national adoption in the field of electrotechnology. The next step for South Sudan will be to bring together stakeholders from the private and the public sectors to establish a NEC 
(National Electrotechnical Committee) and start benefiting from what IEC can offer to support rural 
electrification programmes and ensure electrical safety for the population. 
2  NEWS FROM IEC SMB STRATEGIC GROUPS  
2.1.  The IEC SMB (Standardization Management Board) is responsible for the setting-up and 
disbanding of IEC TCs (Technical Committees) an d SCs (Subcommittees) and for approval of their 
scopes as well as the appointment of TC/SC Chairm en and allocation of secretariat. Other tasks 
include allocation of standards work, timeliness of standards production, approval and 
maintenance of the IEC Directives and review of the need for, and planning for, IEC 
Standardization work in new fields of technology. The SMB has set up sub-groups:  
a. Advisory Committees to advise, guide and coordinate IEC’s work under the auspices of 
SMB with the aim of ensuring consistency; 
b. Strategic Groups to provide strategic guidance and roadmaps on specific areas of 
technical activity that require coordination both for new initiatives and ongoing work  
2.1  SG 1: Energy efficiency and renewable resources 
2.2.  Further to its review process of Strategic Groups, the SMB decided to disband SG 1 as from  
30 June 2013. The SMB recognized the importance of energy efficiency in the IEC’s work, and agreed to the SG 1 recommendatio n to form an ACEE (Advisory Co mmittee on Energy Efficiency). 
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  2.2  SG 2: Standardization of Ultr a High Voltage technologies (UHV) 
2.3.  The SMB agreed to disband SG 2 after October 2013 and, in the meantime, to allow SG 2 to 
continue operations until 1st October 2013, requesting SG 2 to prepare a roadmap of this area and 
the technology trends associated.  
3  IEC REGIONAL CENTRES SUPPORT IEC MEMBERS 
3.1  IECEE seminar and meeting with Vi etnam NC, 17 May 2013, Hanoi, Vietnam 
3.1.  In the range of IEC-APRC (Asia-Pacific Regional Centre) activities, the seminar was attended 
by some 20 senior representatives from potential CBTLs (Certification Body Testing Laboratories), 
government and industry to promote and facilitate Vietnam’s participation in the IECEE (IEC System of Conformity Assessment Schemes for Electrotechnical Equipment and Components). It aimed to prepare their application to become conformity assessment providers with a certification 
body and two associated testing laboratories. Th e Member Body of Vietnam, STAMEQ, joined the 
IECEE in December 2012. The Secretary of the IEC NC (National Committee) of Vietnam shared on the roadmap and vision for becoming more active in the IEC and the schedule for applying to be 
CBTLs under the IECEE CB Scheme. The event attrac ted interest and questions especially on the 
practicality involved in the applications and the content of the peer assessment programme. It was a good follow-up to last year’s seminar where IEC-APRC shared on the IEC, IECEE and IECEx (IEC 
System for Certification to Standards Relating to Equipment for Use in Explosive Atmospheres). 
Vietnam was also encouraged to participate in the IEC Young Professional Programme.  
3.2  IEC-APRC national workshops on IEC part icipation, processes and tools in Southeast 
Asia, March and April 2013 
3.2.  IEC-APRC organized training workshops in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and 
Thailand in March and April 2013. The workshops were organized at the request of IEC National Committees from these countries to provide their experts and secretariat staff with capacity 
building on ISO/IEC Directives, processes involved in standards developments, adoption of 
standards and the IEC’s IT tools. Participants received an in depth presentation on how to increase efficiency and participation in IEC Technical Committees and Working Groups as well as adopting 
IEC International Standards at a national level.  
3.3  IEC-LARC workshops in Argentina, Brazil and Chile, March 2013 3.3.  With the participation of IEC Central Office TISS (Technical Information Support and 
Services), IEC-LARC (IEC Latin America Regi onal Centre) promoted a workshop on IEC 
Standardization and IT Tools in Argentina, Brazil and Chile in March 2013. The workshop was 
dedicated to Chairmen and Secretaries of the IEC NCs (National Committees) and their mirror technical committees, participants in the standardization process, students, etc. It was developed 
to help IEC Members increase their participation in IEC’s technical work and familiarise themselves 
further with IEC’s international standardization processes and IT tools.  
4  REGIONAL COLLABORATION IN ASIA PACIFIC 
4.1  36
th PASC Plenary meeting, 18-26 May 2013, Honolulu, USA 
4.1.  IEC provided an update on its activities  and presentations on the IEC Young Professionals 
Programme and the IEC Affiliate Country Programme  at the 36th PASC (Pacific Area Standards 
Congress) meeting. They were well-received: PASC recognized the IEC’s efforts in providing 
capacity building to developing countries through the Affiliate Country Programme and its success 
in the Young Professionals Programme in encouraging and facilitating young professionals’ participation in standards development. PASC is an important forum comprising 25 country 
members who are largely National Standards Bodies from the Asia-Pacific region.  
5  ACCSQ JOINT SECTORAL COMMITTEE ON EEE MEETING, 28-30 MAY, VIENTIANE, LAO 
PDR 
5.1.  The ACCSQ JSC EEE (Association of Sout heast Asian Nations Consultative Committee on 
Standards and Quality Joint Sectoral Committee on El ectrical and Electronic Equipment) meeting is G/TBT/GEN/152 
 
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  attended by regulators of electrical and electronic equipment in the Southeast Asia region. Its 
main objective is to implement the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Harmonized Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulatory Regi me. The IEC provided an update on its work on 
energy efficiency and discussed the possibility of organizing a seminar relating to International 
Standards and Conformity Assessment in the field of energy efficiency in November 2013. 
6  APEC JOINT REGULATORY ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC 
EQUIPMENT MEETING, 14 APRIL 2013, SURABAYA, INDONESIA 
6.1.  IEC presented a paper introducing the organization, its work on International Standards and 
Conformity Assessment as well as its latest developments. APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) JRAC EEE (Joint Regulatory Advi sory Committee on Electrical and Electronic 
Equipment) meeting is attended by regulators of  electrical and electronic equipment of APEC 
Member Economies. Its objective is to promote and facilitate regulator-to-regulator dialogue and 
cooperation as well as administer and facilitate the functioning of the APEC Mutual Recognition Arrangements on Conformity Assessment of  Electrical and Electronic Equipment. 
7  REGIONAL COLLABORATION IN LATIN AMERICA 
7.1  COPANT
1 
7.1.  During the COPANT General Assembly (21-26 April 2013), IEC Vice-President made a 
presentation on the IEC Standardization activities in the region. Topics such as the implementation 
of the IEC Masterplan, IEC Conformity Assessm ent and the IEC Young Professionals Programme 
were detailed to the COPANT members and are now part of their agenda. IECEE was represented by its Executive Secretary who detailed the achievements and the success of the IECEE CB 
Scheme in particular. It was also the opportunity for IEC-LARC (IEC Latin America Regional 
Centre) to contribute to the workshop “Strengthening the technical capacity of the National Standards Bodies of the Americas by increasing their participation in the international 
standardization work” organized by CATRTA (Canad a-Americas Trade-Related Technical Assistance 
Program). The audience consisted of NSBs from Caribbean and Latin American countries. Back to back with the workshop, IEC representative s had a meeting with CARICOM (Caribbean 
Community) and CROSQ (CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality) to speak 
about IEC and IECEE and help countries participating in the IEC Affiliate Country Programme to be more involved in IEC International Standardization process and Conformity Assessment Systems. 
8  REGIONAL COLLABORATION IN AFRICA 
8.1  Southern African Development Community  
8.1.  SADCSTAN (Southern African Development Co mmunity Cooperation in Standardization) is a 
part of SADC SQAM (Standardization, Quality Assu rance, Accreditation and Metrology). The group 
aims to promote regional cooperation in the de velopment of harmonized standards and technical 
regulations, facilitate the exchange of info rmation among members on existing and future 
standards and technical regulations, and facilit ate the adoption of standards by the member 
states. The Executive Secretary of AFSEC (African Electrotechnical Standardization Commission) 
and Secretary of the IEC National Committee of South Africa represented the IEC at the SADCSTAN meeting in Luanda, Angola at the end of March 2013. On behalf of the IEC, he presented a message of support to all SADCSTAN members and told them about recent 
developments in the IEC Affiliate Country Programme. In particular, delegates were told that there 
are now eight IEC National Committees in the SADC region, including South Africa (currently the only Full Member of the IEC in the region). 
8.2.   Since the last SADCSTAN meeting in March 2012, IEC Affiliate Countries in the SADC region 
have received copies of 115 IEC International Standards to consider for national adoption. Webinars were organized with the Democratic Repu blic of Congo and Zambia to help activate the 
work of their NECs (National Electrotechnical Comm ittees). Over the next year, the objectives of 
SADCSTAN are to enhance participation by Angola, Lesotho and Madagascar; to request membership to the IEC for Namibia and Zambia; an d to have Mauritius and Botswana upgrade to 
IEC Affiliate Plus status.  
                                               
1 http://www.copant.org . 
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  8.2  AFSEC General Assembly 
8.3.  The African Electrotechnical Standardization Commission will hold its third General Assembly 
in Nairobi, Kenya, 28-29 August 2013. The assembly will be preceded by a regional seminar on conformity assessment held jointly with IECEE (IEC System of Conformity Assessment Schemes 
for Electrotechnical Equipment and Components). AFSEC was established in 2008 as a result of a 
collaborative effort among stakeholders si nce 2005, underpinned by a declaration of the 
Conference of African Ministers of  Ene rg y he ld  in Alg ie rs  on 17
th February 2008. In the field of 
electricity, electronics and related technologies, AFSEC is responsible for: 
a. identification of existing standards and prioritization of standard needs; 
b. harmonization of existing standards, thro ugh either the adoption of international 
standards, or where necessary their adaptation to African conditions; 
c. identifying draft standards to be developed by the members of AFSEC for adoption 
where there is a need; and  
d. recommending harmonized standards for application by the appropriate bodies of the 
African Union. 
8.4.  AFSEC established the first five mirror technical committees of the IEC (TC 8, 13, 57, 64 and 
77) with a focus on smart grid. They officially fi rst met in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2011 with the support 
of IEC technical experts. AFSEC is also planning to establish guidelines for the implementation of 
rural electrification programmes in Africa. The project began in August 2012, when AFSEC held a workshop on rural electrification in Johannesburg, South Africa, with representatives from IEC TC 82. The IEC 62257 series of Technical Spec ifications from TC 82 had been identified as 
appropriate references for off-grid systems. The five mirror technical committees will report on 
progress in August 2013 during the General Assembly, when AFSEC members are expected to decide whether to establish TC 82 as a mirror technical committee of the IEC. 
9  REGIONAL COLLABORATION IN EURO-ASIA 
9.1  43
rd EASC meeting  
9.1.  IEC sent two representatives to attend the 43rd EASC, EuroAsian Interstate Council for 
Standardization, Metrology and Certification, meeting held in Ufa, Russian Federation,  
5-8 June 2013. The 12 members of the EASC met to  consider the issues of development work on 
technical regulations, standardization, metrology and conformity assessment – taking into account international and European experience. The application of modern information technology during 
regional standardization activities was also on the agenda as well as the exchange of information 
and normative documents between international or ganizations and the national bodies of EASC 
members. It was the occasion for the IEC to reinforce its support to its six members (Belarus, 
Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine)  and to encourage four Affiliate Countries to 
participate more actively in the IEC Affiliate Country Programme (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan). IEC representatives also reached out to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan 
to invite them to join and benefit from its free Programme. 
10  REGIONAL COLLABORATION IN THE GULF REGION 
10.1  IECEE Workshop held in Riya dh, Saudi Arabia on 4 June 2013 
10.1.  The workshop was organized thanks to the initiative of the GSO (Gulf Cooperation Council 
Standardization Organization) and in implementation of the resolution of the GCC Supreme Council 
to establish a Standardization Organization for the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf as well as a common Technical Regulation in the field of theelectrotechnical sector. 
10.2.  A delegation of the seven GSO Member Countries, the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of 
Bahrain, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, the State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait and the Republic of Yemen attended the workshop and it was expressed that prior its 
implementation the Technical Regulation would be modified to reference the IECEE CB Scheme as 
proof of compliance for recognition by the Authorities of the Arab States of the Gulf. G/TBT/GEN/152 
 
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  11  IEC AFFILIATE COUNTRY PROGRAMME  
11.1  About the Programme 
11.1.  The IEC Affiliate Country Programme is aimed at developing countries that do not yet have 
the necessary infrastructure and technical expertise to participate in IEC activities as an IEC 
Member. Participants join the Programme free of charge on invitation by the IEC General 
Secretary. 
11.2  More IEC International Standard s used for economic development  
11.2.  Azerbaijan became an IEC Affiliate in 2011 and reported its first batch  
of national adoptions of IEC International Standards in April 2013. Since its launch in 2001, the IEC Affiliate Country Programme enabled 42 countries to adopt a total of over 3700 IEC International Standards at no cost. Amongst adopting  countries, five have upgraded their status to 
IEC membership (Albania, Cuba, Jordan, Moldova and Nigeria). The main fields of adoption in 
developing and industrializing countries concern safe ty of electrical appliances, plugs and sockets, 
switches, power cables and conductors. 
11.3  New benefits in conformity assessment 
11.3.  Over the last three years, the IEC Affiliate Leader addressed IEC CAB (Conformity 
Assessment Board) with the issue of conformity assessment in developing countries. During the 
previous IEC General Meeting in Oslo, Norway in 2012, it was decided to circulate a survey to all 
IEC Affiliate Countries to assess their needs. In June 2013, following the results of the survey (see 
our previous report), CAB decided to offer deve loping countries the most adapted package and a 
new status in the IEC Affiliate Country Programme. An alysis of the replies allowed the classification 
of Affiliate Countries into three tiers that represent their level of progress in standardization and 
CA (conformity assessment) organization and infr astructures, and three levels of knowledge in 
conformity assessment. The package includes lear ning modules, an Affiliate resource database, 
levels of participation in the three IEC Conformity Assessment Systems, regional events and 
webinars. The IEC ACAS (Affiliate Conformity Assessment Status) package will be implemented before the next IEC General Meeting, starting with a regional event in Africa in August 2013. 
12  IEC CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES   
12.1  Forthcoming IECEE-AFSEC seminar in Kenya 
12.1.  On 26-27 August 2013, IECEE (IEC Sy stem of Conformity Assessment Schemes for 
Electrotechnical Equipment and Components) will hold a join seminar with AFSEC (African 
Electrotechnical Standardization Commission) in Nairobi, Kenya, back to back with AFSEC General 
Assembly. The two-day event will include a genera l presentation of Conformity Assessment at the 
IEC, as well as three specific sessions on electrical safety for refrigerators (IEC 60335-2-24), for 
luminaires (IEC 60598-2-1) and for electronic co mponents (IEC 60065). International experts will 
help African delegates understand the mechanisms to check the conformity of specific products 
against IEC International Standards and check on-line certificates of conformity. The target 
audience are the utilities, standardization bodies, laboratories, regulators, retailers and consumers. 
The seminar will include visits to Kenyan laboratories.  
12.2  IECEx launches its Mobile App  12.2.  IECEx (IEC System for Certification to Standards Relating to Equipment for Use in Explosive 
Atmospheres) has launched the first mobile application to show international certification for 
equipment used in explosive atmospheres. This application gives access to the IECEx Certificate System covering Certified Ex Equipment, which contains thousands of international IECEx 
Certificates of Conformity. This allows people in the Ex field to immediately cross check between 
Ex equipment and their certificates. 
12.3.  There is an online/offline feature for those in remote locations where access to the Internet 
is not always available. The application will let them verify the authenticity of Ex products labelled 
with an IECEx Certificate number or validate claims  made by vendors that their products are IECEx 
certified. G/TBT/GEN/152 
 
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  12.4.  The IECEx Mobile App for tablets and smartphones is free. It provides real time information 
and has a searchable database of IECEx Certificates. Its data is synchronized with the IECEx website. For more information, please visit the dedicated section of IECEx website: http://www.iecex.com/mobile_app.htm  
13  FORTHCOMING IE C GENERAL MEETING 
13.1.  The IEC will hold its 77th General Meeting in New Delhi, India, 21-25 October 2013. The IEC 
held its first General Meeting in India in 1960 and subsequently in 1997. As each year, IEC will 
hold management meetings but also technical meet ings from over 20 IEC Technical Committees. It 
is the occasion for IEC Members to meet and exchange and for IEC Affiliate Countries to get to know the IEC community, attend technical meetings of their choice and participate in the Affiliate Forum, the Workshop for Industrializing Countries and the Council day. 
13.1  IEC Affiliate Forum on mentoring 
13.2.  This year again, IEC Affiliates will hold their forum during the IEC General Meeting, on 22 
October in New Delhi, India. On the agenda are the first results from the IEC Mentoring 
Programme for Affiliates and discussion amongst th ose Affiliates who have established their NEC 
(National Electrotechnical Committee) and those who are on the verge of taking that step. It will be the occasion for delegates to meet the IEC Affiliate Leader, who will chair the Forum and 
present his annual report. The Forum will then brea k into three regional sessions convened by the 
IEC Affiliate Regional Coordinators, the Regional Manager from IEC-LARC, the IEC Affiliate Leader 
and the Programme Secretary. Any IEC Members who have volunteered to mentor Affiliates will be 
welcome to participate. 
13.2  Workshop for Industrializing Co untries on photovoltaics standards 
13.3.  Through its Affiliate Country Programme, IEC is a partner of the UN SE4ALL (Sustainable 
Energy for All) initiative and is making its 62257 se ries of Technical Specifications available at low 
cost for developing countries, in particular IEC/TS 62257-9-5 on stand-alone lighting kits for rural 
electrification. A workshop on IEC photovoltaic standards is organized for IEC Members and Affiliates during the IEC General Meeting, on Wednesday 23 October, in New Delhi, India. This will 
be the opportunity for delegates from developing and industrializing countries to discover IEC/TS 
62257-9-5 as well as IEC Conformity Assessment activi ties on photovoltaics. It will bring together 
experts from IEC Technical Committee 82, the Executive Secretary of the IEC System of Conformity Assessment Schemes for Electrotechnical Equipment and Components and users of IEC 
International Standards in developing countries. IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency) 
has been invited to share its Global Renewabl e Energy Roadmap, REMAP 2030. Delegates from 
Affiliate Countries can register online: http://www.iec2013.org  after contacting the Affiliate 
Secretariat for a login ( affiliates@iec.ch ) 
14  INTERNATIONAL CO LLABORATION FOR DEVE LOPING COUNTRIES  
14.1  UN Foundation – Energy Access Practitioner Network  
14.1.  The IEC is one of many organizations and agencies participating in the UN’s efforts to 
further its sustainable energy goals and it is recognized that IEC International Standards play a major role in meeting this challenge. In late 2012, the IEC Affiliate Executive Secretary was approached by IEC Technical Committee 82 to liaise with the global SE4ALL (Sustainable Energy 
for All) initiative. This project brings together the UN and other private stakeholders to focus on 
addressing global poverty, energy efficiency an d renewable energy solutions across all emerging 
markets. The UN Foundation’s Energy and Climat e section leads the Energy Access Practitioner 
Network to address market barriers to achieve universal energy access and works closely with 
other international organizations such as the World Bank, UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization), IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency), IFC (International 
Finance Corporation), and many other organizations from the private and public sectors that are 
part of the Network.  
14.2.  On 17-18 March 2013, a workshop called "Towards Universal Energy Access: An Asian 
Perspective" took place in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The IEC was represented by its APRC (Asia-
Pacific Regional Centre) Director. The two-da y workshop brought together more than 100 G/TBT/GEN/152 
 
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  participants to have practitioners, investors and experts share and learn about the market 
developments, innovations and financing opportuniti es relating to energy access in rural areas. 
14.3.  On 14 May 2013, a webinar, jointly held by the UN Foundation’s Energy Access Practitioner 
Network and the Clean Energy Solutions Center, aimed to introduce attendees to the on-going 
work of the IEC on renewable energy standards, and to highlight its recent commitment to the UN 
Secretary-General’s SE4ALL initiative. The IEC pres ented three packages of standards pertaining 
to rural electrification, in particular the newly-adopted global IEC/TS 62257-9-5, 
Recommendations for small renewable energy and hybrid systems for rural electrification – Part 9-
5: Integrated system – Selection of stand-alone lighting kits for rural electrification , concerning 
portable solar photovoltaic lanterns, at a discounted price for qualifying practitioners to facilitate access to sustainable energy standards for stakeholders in developing countries. The webinar 
explored the importance of global quality standards as a means of consumer protection, and ways 
to reduce the barriers that practitioners traditionally face in having to obtain the standards at a high cost. The webinar gave practitioners and small and medium enterprises a chance to learn 
about the IEC, its Affiliate Country Programme an d the work of IEC TC 82 on Photovoltaics. It 
brought together 160 participants from all over the world with the active participation of IRENA.  
14.2  IEC at the fourth Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM4) 
14.4.  IEC General Secretary, Frans Vreeswijk, was invited to participate in one of a series of high-
level public-private roundtable discussions that took place during the fourth Clean Energy Ministerial in New Delhi, India, on 17 April 2013. CEM4 was hosted by the Indian Planning Commission and attended by Energy Ministers from around the world. The Clean Energy Ministerial 
(CEM) was launched in 2010 as a high-level inte rgovernmental forum to promote policies and 
programmes that advance clean energy technology, to share lessons learned and best practices, and to encourage and facilitate the transition  to a global clean energy economy. The 23 
participating governments account for 80% of global greenhouse gas emissions and 90% of global 
clean energy investment. The CEM leaders recognize that private-sector participation is essential for the transition to a clean energy future. Ther efore, since 2010, the CEM has convened a number 
of public-private roundtables with Ministers, seni or business executives, and other stakeholders on 
key issues related to clean energy. IEC General Secretary participated in one of the six clean energy roundtables, on the topic of Mini-Grid De velopment. It was the opportunity for the IEC to 
announce that its new IEC/TS 62257-9-5 represents important progress in the effort to expand 
access to modern off-grid lighting among low-income households in developing countries.  
14.3  DCMAS Network 12
th annual meeting 
14.5.  DCMAS is the Network on Metrology, Accreditation and Standardization for Developing 
Countries. In 2002, the relevant international organizations for MAS established the Joint 
Committee on assistance to Developing Countries in Metrology, Accreditation and Standardization, with the mission to coordinate their assistance to developing countries and those in transition. In 
2010, it became the DCMAS Network and now brings together 10 international organizations: 
BIPM, IAF, IEC, ILAC, ISO, ITC,  ITU, OIML, UNECE and UNIDO. Th e Network meets once a year to 
share new development in members’ respective programmes for developing countries and to decide on possible collective actions and events. The meeting was held on 12 April 2013 at UNECE 
which holds the Secretariat since 2012. UNIDO and ITC have offered to hold the Secretariat jointly 
for 2013 and 2014.  
15  ACADEMIA 
15.1  IEC-IEEE Challenge 2012 – Winning papers sent to all IEC Members and Affiliates 
to share with their universities 
15.1.  The IEC recognizes the contribution of the world’s academics, via scientific theory, research 
and engineering applications, but also as partners who strive to improve processes to achieve their 
future goals. Two recent global academic paper competitions have seen the best and brightest minds in the field of International Standardization advance scholastic endeavour. For its centenary in 2006, the IEC invited the academic world to  provide its views on the contribution of 
international standards to society. Participants were asked to address Consideration of the 
economic, business and social impact of the deve lopment and use of International Standards for G/TBT/GEN/152 
 
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  end-users at any level of business activity . IEC IEEE Challenge 2012 focused on How 
electrotechnology impacts economic, social and environmental development. The IEC-IEEE 
Challenge 2012 invited academics to challenge the perception of electrotechnology and how universal standards influence all spheres of de velopment. The winning papers are now compiled 
into a brochure that was sent to all IEC Members and Affiliates in April 2013 to reach out to their 
universities and engineering institutes. The Democratic Republic of Congo and Bhutan have already expressed the need for additional copies. 
15.2  UNECE model curriculum on standardization for universities 
15.2.  Along with other DCMAS Members, IEC reiterated its support to UNECE in the preparation of 
a model curriculum on standardization for universities. IEC has shared material on electrotechnical standardization with UNECE to develop 15 modules on general understanding of standardization as 
well as regulatory and related issue.  
 
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