Standards and International Competitiveness

By Carol McGlogan, EFC (originally published in Canadian Electrical Wholesaler)
Canada has worked hard to open international market access via free trade agreements in North America, Asia and Europe. The elimination of tariffs between these regions enables companies to re-examine their structures and has resulted in a global supply network. In this new economy, Canadian companies have an opportunity to play a bigger role on the world stage.

Like taxes, standards can also either open or close market doors. To this end, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization, helps develop and publish consensus-based International Standards. IEC members include government, private and public entities. The process of creating an international standard involves a single vote per UN-recognized country. Each member country, no matter how large or small, has one vote and a say in what goes into the IEC International Standard. At the IEC standards development table, Canada’s voice is equal to that of the U.S. and China and every other country. Read full article