WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/GEN/92 
7 December 2009 
 (09-6285) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
  
 
IEC ACTIVITIES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES   
JUNE – NOVEMBER 2009 
 
 
 The following information was provided by the IEC
 (International Electrotechnical 
Commission) at the TBT Committee meeting of 5-6 November 2009. 
 
_______________ 
  
1. This report to the WTO Technical Barriers to Trade Committee highlights the activities of the 
IEC, its Members and Affiliates, and Regional Cent res, related to increasing the participation of 
developing countries in IEC International Standa rdization and Conformity Assessment activities. 
2. The IEC is the world leading organization that  prepares and publishes International Standards 
for all electrical, electronic and related technologies – collectively known as "electrotechnology".  The 
IEC also administers three global conformity assessment systems, IECEE ( http://iecee.org
), IECEx 
(www.iecex.com ) and IECQ (www.iecq.org), for testing, certification and approval of equipment, 
systems and components to its International Standards. 
I. ELECTRIFICATION OF AFRICA 
3. IEC attended the 2009 PIESA-IERE forum ( www.piesa.com/news/forum2009 ) in Mombasa, 
Kenya, 14-18 September 2009. The Power Institute  for East and Southern Africa (PIESA) is a 
voluntary electric power utility association that aims to improve electrification in the region through 
the sharing of information, research, technology and experiences.  PIESA is a member of the International Electric Research Exchange (IERE). This forum served as an interactive platform for 
PIESA members, other African electricity utilitie s and agencies responsible for electrification, 
together with IERE members, international expe rts and invited guests to discuss technical issues, 
primarily focussing on using appropriate technologies for accelerating and improving access to 
electricity in the region. 
4. IEC presented its series of Recommendations fo r small renewable energy  and hybrid systems 
for rural electrification (IEC 62257). IEC's part icipation paved the way for the collaboration 
agreement signed during the 73
rd IEC General Meeting, between the General Secretary of the IEC and 
the President of the African Electrotechnical Standardization Commission (AFSEC) ( www.afsec-
africa.org ).  AFSEC is a subsidiary body of the African Energy Commission, ( http://afrec.mem-
algeria.org/en/index.htm ) launched at the African Union conference of ministers in charge of energy 
held in February 2008, Algiers, Algeria. 
II. INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON FUEL CELL SYSTEMS IN SEOUL 
5. Some 30 experts from industry and science met fo r a workshop on fuel cells on 13-15 June 
2009 at the invitation of the IEC and Seoul National University School of Mechanical and Aerospace 
Engineering ( http://eng.snu.ac.kr/english/departments/dept_aerospace.php ).  The main topics were the G/TBT/GEN/92 
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  latest research and standardizati on developments on fuel cells. Fuel cells have been identified as a 
promising solution in answer to the world's incr easing demand for energy. In the face of tremendous 
global climate change, environmental constraints, and energy demand, fuel cells have been re-
identified as offering great potential, and therefore research activities have been strengthened in the 
past decade.  However, as fuel cells gain im portance in addressing global energy requirements, not 
only research but also marketability, safety, and sust ainability of fuel cells are increasingly becoming 
the main challenges. In this light, it is important  to bring together acad emia and standardization 
experts from industry. (More in the September 2009 e-tech 
www.iec.ch/online_news/et ech/arch_2009/etech_0709/tc_1.htm
). 
III. IEC WORKSHOP FOR INDUSTRIALIZING COUNTRIES ON ELECTRICAL 
SAFETY IN EX ENVIRONMENT 
6. During its 73rd General Meeting in Tel Aviv, Israel, the IEC held a workshop on safe use of 
electrical energy in mining and in the chemical, o il and gas industries. IEC Affiliate Leader, Carlos 
Rodríguez, and IEC Affiliate Coordinator for A frica, Evah Oduor, participated in the workshop 
animated by IECEx experts ( www.iecex.com ). IECEx is the IEC Conformity Assessment System for 
Certification to Standards relating to Equipment for Use in Explosive Atmo sphere. The objective of 
the System is to facilitate international trade in equipment and services for use in explosive 
atmospheres, while maintaining the required level of  safety. With industrialization comes the need to 
use technology and automation in areas where the risk of explosion exists. Some  40 participants from 
developing and newly industrialized countries lear nt how IEC provides both International Standards 
and IECEx Conformity Assessment as the platform for promoting safety. 
7. It was the occasion to present IECEx new Certification of Personnel Competencies Scheme, 
the first international scheme for the certification of persons working in explosive environments, a 
challenge for many industrializing countries - IE C members and Affiliate Countries. (More in the 
September 2009 e-tech and November 2009 e-tech -
www.iec.ch/online_news/etech /arch_2009/etech_0909/ca_2.htm ). 
IV. IEC AFFILIATE FORUM MET IN TEL AVIV 
8. The Affiliate Forum met on 20 October 2009 du ring IEC General Meeting. It brought 
together some 20 delegates representing 14 develo ping countries: Affiliate delegates from Cameroon, 
Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Re p of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Namibia, Peru, 
Swaziland, Tanzania, Uruguay as well the Secretary of the IEC National Committee of South Africa, Jo-Anne Byng, and Evah Oduor from Kenya who is  the IEC Affiliate Coordinator for Africa. 
9. Carlos Rodríguez, Director of INTECO (Costa Rican standards institution) has been leading 
the IEC Affiliate Country Programme since 2006. Du ring the forum he shared with the Affiliate 
delegations the report he submits every year on the IEC Affiliate Country Programme to the IEC 
management boards. 
10. This year he mentioned a continuous increase in adoption of IEC International Standards by 
Affiliate Countries, as well as in the number of countries involved in the Programme. As some 
countries are already using the Programme to its fu ll extend but are still not in a position to apply for 
IEC membership, he explained that he had formally asked IEC to examine their situation. As a result, 
the Affiliate Plus status was created and he was ha ppy to report that seven countries had already been 
upgraded: Ghana, Guyana, Jordan, Lao PDR,  Lebanon, Uganda and recently Zambia. 
11. After the forum Evah Oduor, IEC Affiliate Coor dinator for Africa, convened a special session 
with African delegates with the participation of the President of AFSEC, Claude Koutoua from Côte 
d’Ivoire. She clarified her coordinator role to assi st them in using the Programme and mentioned her  G/TBT/GEN/92 
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  first missions as IEC Affiliate Coordinator for Africa to the general assemblies of SADCSTAN – the 
Southern African Development Community Cooperation in Standardization (Botswana in April) and UPDEA – the Union of producers, transporters and distributors of electric power in Africa (Ethiopia in November). She reported that over 3000 IEC Standa rds were used in 25 African countries and that 
over 1200 had been adopted by 12 Affiliate countri es in Africa. She urged the countries represented in 
the Forum to go ahead and establish their na tional electrotechnical committees to have the 
infrastructure which will allow them to get invol ved in IEC Internationa l Standardization work. 
12. Simultaneously the representatives from Peru and Uruguay as well as the Affiliate Leader 
from Costa Rica met with IEC Regional Manager for Latin America to explore the ways they could 
improve their participation in IEC International Sta ndardization activities in their part of the world. 
(More in the November 2009 e-tech). 
V. IEC AFFILIATE PLUS STATUS FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES 
13. Affiliate countries that have already adopted  at least 50 IEC International Standards as 
national standards and established a national electro technical committee representing both their public 
and private sectors will be granted a new status. The Affiliate Plus status offers developing countries 
new benefits, e.g. an increase in the number of free copies of IEC International Standards they receive 
for adoption (400 instead of 200) and, on a case by case basis, the possibility to have a mentor amongst IEC members. (More in the September 2009 e-tech www.iec.ch/online_news/etech /arch_2009/etech_0909 /family_2.htm
) 
VI. IECEE INTRODUCES HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES TESTING SERVICES 
14. In the past few years, restricting or eliminati ng the use of hazardous substances in electrical 
and electronic products has become a must for manufacturers who want to stay competitive. 
Moreover, in the wake of the 2006 EU (Eur opean Union) RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous 
Substances) and WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment 
http://ec.europa.eu/environm ent/waste/weee/index_en.htm ) Directives for electrical and electronic 
equipment, many countries are now introducing legi slation. Compliance of products to national or 
regional legislation is therefore essential for manufacturers. This is where the IECEE 
(www.iecee.org ), the IEC System of Conformity Assessment Schemes for Electrotechnical 
Equipment and Components, comes into play as requirements for hazardous substances vary in 
different regions and countries around the world. Labor atories also use different test methods that 
provide varying test results. Market surveillan ce on the use of HS (Hazardous Substances) is 
intensifying. All this means that there is a major n eed for reliable tools to verify and demonstrate the 
level of HS in electrical products. (More in the September 2009 e-tech (www.iec.ch/online_news/et ech/arch_2009/etech_0909/ca_2.htm
). 
VII. IECEx CERTIFICATION OF PERS ONNEL COMPETENCIES SCHEME 
15. IECEx ( www.iecex.com ), the IEC System for Certification to Standards relating to 
Equipment for Use in Explosive Atmospheres, is making rapid progress in setting up its Certification 
of Personnel Competencies Scheme, which was presented at the workshop for industrializing 
countries during 73rd IEC General Meeting. 
16. Certification programmes for personnel already exis t in industry, in particular in the service 
sectors. Healthcare personnel, safety professionals a nd financial planners, to name but a few, are 
regularly submitted to independent assessments of education, training, experience, knowledge and 
skills to demonstrate their professional abilities and be granted certification. G/TBT/GEN/92 
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  17. IECEx WG (Working Group) 12, which is in charge of setting up the new Scheme, met in 
Singapore last June to refine the series of rules and procedures documents de veloped earlier this year 
at the Frankfurt meeting (more in the March 2009 e-tech 
(www.iec.ch/online_news/et ech/arch_2009/etech_0309/ca_2.htm
).  In addition to the main document 
establishing the Scheme, IECEx 05, IECEx Scheme for Certification of Personnel Competencies for 
Explosive Atmospheres – Rules of Procedure , several Operational Documents were finalized. They 
cover the assessment qualification process of certifi ers to issue IECEx Certificate of Personnel 
Competencies (CoPC), the standard procedures to be  adopted by IECEx certifiers and the detailed list 
of "Competency Outcomes" for the 10 Competency Units that make up the IECEx Certification of 
Personnel Competencies Scheme. (More in September 2009 e-tech 
(www.iec.ch/online_news/et ech/arch_2009/etech_0909/ca_2.htm ). 
VIII.  IEC REGIONAL MANAGER FOR LATI N AMERICA ATTENDED KEY ELECTRIC 
AND ELECTRONIC INDUSTRIES EVENT IN CHILE 
18. In late August 2009, the IEC participated in the 13th Annual Dinner of the AIE ( www.aie.cl/ ) 
(Asociación de la Industria Eléctrica-Electrónica), the Electrical and Electronics Industry Association 
of Chile. This traditional gathering is one of th e big business and technology events of the year. 
Chaired by AIE President Eduardo Cordero, it to ok place on 20 August 2009, in Chile's capital, 
Santiago de Chile, and was attended by more th an 270 representatives from industry, academia and 
the media. Amaury Santos, Regional Manager of the IEC-LARC ( www.iec.ch/about/rc/iec-larc ) (IEC 
Latin America Regional Centre), in his capacity as representative of Ronnie Amit, General Secretary 
and CEO of the IEC, spoke of the relevance of IEC International Standards, particularly for Chile.  
(More in the September 2009 e-tech 
http://www.iec.ch/online_news/etech/arch_2009/etech_0909/family_1.htm ). 
IX. IEC SINGAPORE TEAM INCREASES ITS TECHNICAL RESPONSIBILITIES 
19. IEC-APRC (IEC Asia-Pacific Regional Centre) welcomed a new technical officer to deal 
with electric welding (TC 26), industrial electr o heating equipment (TC 27), lamps and related 
equipment (TC 34) and electrical installation for lighting and beaconing of aerodromes (TC 97).  With 
these 4 additional fields, IEC-APRC is now responsible for 27 IEC technical committees. 
http://www.iec.ch/about/rc/iec- aprc/iec-aprc_techwork.htm  (More in the July 2009 e-tech 
http://www.iec.ch/online_news/etech/arch_2009/etech_0709/family_1.htm ). 
X. RENEWABLE ENERGY: A STEP TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY 
20. In its keynote address at ISO 32nd General Assembly, in Cape Town, South Africa, IEC 
President Jacques Régis spoke about electrical energy  and the fundamental impact of international 
standardization. He pointed out the role of tec hnology for a sustainable future and increased energy 
efficiency both in developed and de veloping countries. According to the International Energy Agency  
(IEA) ( www.iea.org ), approximately half of global energy will be supplied by renewable sources by 
2050 which offers hope to 2 000 million “energy poor” because it is easy to implement and is 
decentralized. IEC President mentioned that, by the end of 2010, 15 % of renewable electricity could 
be produced by wind power, which could raise to  50 % by 2030, according to the global Energy 
Watch Group ( www.energywatchgroup.org ). The market for photovoltaic (PV) power application is 
expanding rapidly in developed and developing countries because photovoltaics are a reliable and 
flexible energy source. Moving to solar thermal, he said that it is the most promising new technology 
involving concentrating solar power plants that produce electricity much in the same way as 
conventional power stations. He went on to ocean energy, a huge, predictable and still largely 
untapped source of renewable energy, that involves a number of different technologies and includes energy generation from tides, waves, currents, sal inity and thermal gradients. Mentioning hydro 
power, geothermal, bio and nuclear energy he explaine d that efforts still need to be made to increase  G/TBT/GEN/92 
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  the awareness among policy makers, industry, academia  and end-users of the existence and relevance 
of the standardization and conformity assessment solutions available to them. Many different IEC 
technical committees work on international standards for renewable energy: TC 88 
(http://www.iec.ch/dyn/www/f?p=102:7:0::::FSP_ORG_ID:1282 ) on wind turbine, TC 82 
(http://www.iec.ch/dyn/www/f?p=102:7:0::::FSP_ORG_ID:1276 ) on photovoltaics, TC 4 
(http://www.iec.ch/dyn/www/f?p=102:7:0::::FSP_ORG_ID:1228 ) on hydraulic turbines, TC 114 
(http://www.iec.ch/dyn/www/f?p=102:7:0::::FSP_ORG_ID:1316 ) on marine energy without 
forgetting the IEC Smart Grid portal ( http://www.iec.ch/zone/smartgrid /)which provides direct access 
to the many key standards and processes that a pply to a Smart Grid, from electrical energy 
measurement, tariff and load control to lamps,  renewable energies and fuel cell technologies. 
21. IEC President concluded that, in its effort to support renewable energies to serve the 
developed and developing world, the IEC was worki ng closely with the International Energy Agency 
(IEA) and its sister organizations ISO ( www.iso.org ) and ITU ( www.itu.int/en/pages/default.aspx ) 
pointed out to the IEA-IEC-ISO workshop on energy e fficiency that was held in March 2009 in Paris, 
France. (More in the February 2009 e-tech 
www.iec.ch/online_news/etech /arch_2009/etech_0209 /world_1.htm ). 
 
 
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