What is IFAN

International Federation of Standards Users 1

by George T. Willingmyre, P.E., Special Advisor to IFAN

IFAN Secretariatc/o ISO Central Secretariat

1, ch de la Voie-CreuseCH-1211 Geneva 20Web: www.ifan.org

Selected Strategic Global Standards Policy issues of concern to the International Federation of Standards Users (IFAN)

Presented to the ANSI Company Member Forum

March 12, 2009


What is IFAN

The International Federation of Standards Users, founded in 1974, is an independent, non profit-making international association of national organizations for the application of standards, companies, professional and trade associations, and governmental agencies, concerned with the use of standards.


IFAN vision

To be recognized and to act as the international voice of standards users and

to play its part in the development of a global economy through the removal of technical barriers to trade and the wider use of international standards.


Some current Issues

Progress towards 1:1:1 dream Standardization infrastructure too complex Numerous Treaty organizations address strategic standards policies Diverse information sources; distribution chains and commercial models Economic Realities in 2009 Selected IFAN initiatives Co-ordination of standards users’ groups


1:1:1 dream

Eight years ago then ISO President Mario Cortopassi, stated a dream:

“one standard; one test; accepted everywhere”

Many people said “nice dream”, but……

Slowly this is happening, or is it? New industrial sectors rediscover this issue time and again …


ACK!!!

Source: John Lamb World Bank


Complicated global market standardization infrastructure

Company (internal control and external procurement (eg Wal-Mart) Consortia, Fora e.g. OASIS; Open Group Industry standards particularly “private standards”National (formal): (governmental and non-governmental)Regional (formal): non-governmental CEN/CENELEC/ETSI, PASC,

COPANT, etc.; sometimes partly financed by governmentsInternational (formal):

- governmental e.g. ITU; UNECE CEFACT; - non-governmental (e.g. ISO/IEC)- ASME, ASTM, IEEE, IETF, W3C etc. (Some IFAN

members consider some of these as National standards activities leading to more complications)


Leading to Duplication of Infrastructure and efforts in developing standards

Overlapping Duplication of infrastructure:- Industry, consortia or fora committees

- National committees

- Regional committees

- International committees

- organizational participation models

- individual participation models

- national body participation models

- formal government treaty participation models In a global economy that cannot afford to waste human and financial

resources

Paradox: Often the same companies/organizations people/experts participate at all levels, and in different standards for the same subject


Leading to diverse standards development procedures and policies

Different standardizing bodies have (slightly) different development procedures and often with out incentives for common elements

Different procedures can make “parallel” standards development between organizations difficult.

Different polices such as for Intellectual property rights can present unforseen landmines for participants

There are Positive initiatives such as:

- the WSC (World Standards Cooperation) between ISO, IEC and ITU;

- the Vienna and Dresden agreements (ISO/CEN and IEC/CENELEC);

- WTO TBT Code of Good Practice for preparation, adoption and application of standards

- ISO/IEC Guide 21


Leading to duplication of standards for identical products and processes and trade conflicts

Increasing numbers of complaints to the WTO TBT committee of violations of the TBT Agreement.

Increasing national pressures within the global economy to employ non tariff barriers to trade to protect their homeland suppliers and markets

Cannot withstand the pressures from the current global economic situation; but how will market choose the winners and losers?


Numerous Treaty organizations address strategic standards policies

World Trade Organization: Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) ; Trade related aspects of Intellectual property (TRIPs) ; Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures SPS) WIPO; UNECE; OECD; WSIS & IGF

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Organization for Economic cooperation and Development

World Summit on the Information Society and Internet Governance Forum


Diverse information sources, distribution chains and commercial models

Different standardizing bodies have (slightly) different distribution procedures.

Most target their closest stakeholders without sufficient regard to the global community of potentially interested standards users

User’s find it hard to obtain standards other than their “key” standards. i.e. many useful standards (from other bodies) go un-used.

Different commercial models of the various standard bodies create complex (unresolved) Intellectual Property Rights issues

Note: Dream is a “one-stop-shop” portal through which all standards can be found and procured.


Economic Realities in 2009

Globalization of trade and competition will increase as will use of TBTs to protect homeland producers and jobsThe current global economic environment creates uncertain yet foreseeable unfavorable pressures on the global standards communityA global pressure from standards users for an efficient international standardization process is strategic toolDuplication of standards confuses manufacturers/ importers/ purchasers; confuses the consumer and government regulators and purchasersResults in technical barriers to trade; safety/ environmental issues; and unnecessary cost

Dream: One standard for subjects for which a standard is required


Selected IFAN Initiatives

IFAN IFAN PG 14 "Social responsibility” to ISO

WG on SR “The International Federation of Standards Users (IFAN, a D-Liaison to the ISO WG on SR) is pleased to submit the attached comments along with a lack of support (the equivalent of a NO vote from a National Standards Body) for moving this draft document from the CD to the DIS stage.”

IFAN Board created an IFAN Working Group “IP and standards” Mr. Xavier Delecroix (CVN, Luxembourg) will chair the group.


Coordination of standards users groups

In the same way it is a challenge to find resources for developing standards, it is a challenge to find resources from the users of the standards to debate their fitness for use.

The International Federation of Standards Users (IFAN) aspires to help the global community of standard users and the multiple national and industry standards users groups advance their causes and conserve there own limited resources.

The voice of the user is needed by the standards developers


Actions by Users

Standards users need to voice their views on these issues

IFAN Premise is continuous progress on all fronts

Standards developers need external pressures to change

This is the job of IFAN. These issues are on IFAN’s strategic agenda.


IFAN Message to ANSI CMF members

IFAN has agreed on the following strategies consistent with the interests of ANSI CMF members:

1. To promote the use of International Standards;2. To promote reference to international standards in regulations;3. To influence the international standardization process;4. To promote the principle that conformity assessment structures,

schemes and procedures respond to standards users’ needs;5. To encourage openness, transparency and awareness in conformity

assessment structures, procedures and results.6. To support education and training related to standardization;7. To facilitate the distribution of information on standards, standards

development and conformity assessment.8. To Develop IFAN


IFAN Message to ANSI CMF members

If the company/association you represent to the American National Standards Institute sees:

- the benefit and potential strategic impact of a globally recognized, established and independent voice in global standardization;

- focused on the promoting the views of USERs of standards largely corporate standards interests;

- Active within international and regional standards developing and policy organizations;

Then Consider Steering the IFAN program and Supporting IFAN work through Company membership.

Contact IFAN Special Advisor (ANSI Company member GTW Associates) George T. Willingmyre, P.E. [email protected] or [email protected]

What is IFAN

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