WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/GEN/20 
3 August 2005 
 (05-3493) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
  
  
REPORT PROVIDED BY THE IEC AT THE TBT COMMITTEE MEETING  
OF 16-17 JUNE 2005 
 
Agenda Item 4:  Technical Co-operation
 
  
 The following report, dated 16 June 2005, is being circulated at the request of the 
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
. 
 
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I. INTRODUCTION 
1. This report presents an update of the IEC's in ternational standardization and conformity 
assessment activities since the last meeting of the WTO TBT Committee held in Geneva 
on 22-23 March 2005.  It highlights, where possibl e, the Commission's efforts to increase the 
participation of WTO Members in the international el ectrotechnical standardization, and in the use of 
the IEC International Standards and IEC Global Conformity Assessment Schemes. 
2. All of the activities and results contained herein underline the IEC's strategy to help countries 
build technical capacity from within.  The IEC make s use of the modern information technology tools 
developed over the last decade for the IEC member s, but now put at the disposition of all WTO 
Members (whether they are IEC members or not), to  participate in the IEC International Standards 
development process. 
II. PARTICIPATION OF WTO MEMBERS IN IEC STANDARDIZATION AND IEC 
CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT SCHEMES 
3. Of the WTO's 148 Members, 130 are participating in the IEC and using IEC International 
Standards, as member national committees, associ ate member national committees or affiliates 
(collectively known as the "IEC Family").  This is  an increase of two WTO Members since the last 
TBT Committee meeting in March 2005. 
4. The 18 WTO Members not currently in the "IEC Family" have been invited to join the IEC in 
one form or another.  The IEC is in contact w ith those countries to incr ease the awareness of the 
Commission and IEC International Standards and Inte rnational Conformity As sessment Schemes with 
a view to joining the "IEC Family". 
5. IEC full and associate member national committ ees pay an annual membership fee, can 
participate in all IEC standardization work, have  voting rights, and have access to the complete 
catalogue of IEC International St andards and other publications. 
 G/TBT/GEN/20 
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 6. Affiliates are invited devel oping countries that can choose to access and comment on a 
focussed range of technical work of relevance to th eir particular country's needs.  They can start a 
limited national standards library, and can use a facilitated adoption procedure to obtain IEC 
International Standards – all free of any membership  fee.  It is encouraging that since the last 
TBT Committee meeting an increasing number of Affiliates are now commenting on the standards 
under development. 
7. The three IEC Conformity Assessment Schemes are open to members and non-members of 
the IEC.  Currently, there are 40 WTO Members an d three WTO observers in the Worldwide System 
for Conformity Testing and Certification of Electrical Equipment (IECEE) CB Scheme, and 24 WTO Members actively involved on the IEC Scheme for Certification to Standards for Safety of Electrical 
Equipment for Explosive Atmospheres (IECEx Sche me).  Regarding the IEC World-wide Approval 
and Certification Programme for Electronic Components (IECQ), there are currently 15 WTO Members actively participating.   
III. ADOPTION OF IEC INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS 
8. IEC member national committees, associate memb er national committees and affiliates adopt 
IEC International Standards as national or regi onal standards in accordance with the ISO/IEC 
Guide 21-1 (2005).  
9. The IEC also offers Affiliates a facilitated adoption procedure (in line with ISO/IEC 
Guide 21-1) whereby a limited number of IEC Inte rnational Standards can be selected and the IEC 
will produce copies of those publications in the nati onal format.  As a result of dialogue with the 
Affiliates, this procedure has been adjusted to increase the number of  IEC International Standards that 
can be selected. 
IV. IEC CONFORMITY A SSESSMENT ACTIVITIES 
10. The IEC's Conformity Assessment Board Secretariat is currently preparing a new guidance 
document on the use of and participating in the IEC's three International Conformity Assessment 
Schemes.  This initiative was launched as a result of the feedback from the Special Meeting of the 
TBT Committee dedicated to Conformity Assessment  Procedures held on 29 June 2004 and a direct 
call from the IEC Affiliates.  This guidance doc ument will be available for WTO Members upon 
publication. 
V. IEC REGIONAL CENTRES 
Asia-Pacific 
 
11. The IEC's Asia-Pacific Regional Centre, located in Singapore, has recently expanded its range 
of activities to include the management of some te chnical work.  The centre continues to:  provide 
technical assistance to IEC members and non-members;   increase awareness of how to participate in 
the international standardization system and make best use of the international standards and 
conformity assessment systems on offer available from the IEC;  and liaise with relevant 
organizations in the region. 
Latin America 
 
12. The IEC Regional Centre for Latin America will ope n shortly in Brazil.  It will be modelled 
on the IEC Asia-Pacific Regional Centre  (see above) in that its initial roles will be:  to offer technical 
assistance to IEC members and non-members in the regi on;  to encourage increased participation from 
all countries in the region;  and to liaise with relevant regional organizations.    G/TBT/GEN/20 
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 Other regions 
 
13. As the success of the Asia-Pacific Regional Ce ntre has demonstrated the potential of the 
concept as an effective means of increasing awar eness and participation in the international 
standardization system, so the IEC will review the po tential for similar centres in other regions of the 
world.    
VI. FUTURE ACTIVITIES PLANNED 
14. A dedicated workshop – open to all members and non-members of the IEC – aimed at helping 
countries understand the practical working of the IEC technical committees, as well as the IEC's International Conformity Assessment Schemes (w ith a focus on the IECEE CB Scheme covering the 
safety of electrical equipment), will be held  during the IEC 2005 General Meeting (Cape Town, 
South Africa, 17-22 October 2005). 
15. The IEC would like to draw the TBT Committee's  attention to the IEC's centenary to be 
celebrated in 2006. 
VII. IEC'S UNIQUE APPROACH 
16. The IEC offers a unique approach to servi ng the needs of WTO Members and non-members 
through its membership and affiliate country pr ogramme, giving all countries the possibility to use 
IEC International Standards and C onformity Assessment Schemes, and participate in the development 
of IEC International Standards, using m odern information technology tools.   
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