I am pleased to convene this hearing today to discuss international standards and the impact of ISO 14000. This hearing is the first of two hearings this week, the Technology Subcommittee has scheduled, which address issues of extreme importance to the industrial community. Today we will be discussing international standards, and on Thursday we will examine the patent examination process. Both of these topics are business issues which have a profound effect on our global competitiveness. I thank you all for being here to discuss this very important subject.
International standards play a crucial role in our fast-changing global economy.
Harmonizing standards world-wide, by developing a global set of standards, assists companies in eliminating trade barriers and decreasing the cost of business. ISO develops voluntary standards which are developed by and for the private sector. In 1987 the International Standards Organization published ISO 9000, a series of quality standards. These standards provide a framework for documenting quality procedures, training employees, and decreasing defects. They do not provide specific performance specifications, they are management standards.