Formation of Collaborative/Mirror
Committees for International Standards
Processes
Presented by
Jessica Roop
August 6-8, 2013
Peru: Standards Alliance
About ISO
The purpose of ISO (founded in 1947) is to
facilitate the internationalization and
unification of standards and related
activities over almost the entire range of
technology (except that covered by IEC)
International
Standards
Bodies
The purpose of IEC (founded in 1906) is
to promote international cooperation on
all questions of standardization in the
fields of electricity, electronics and
related technologies
The purpose of ITU (founded in 1865) is
to promote international cooperation on
all questions of standardization in the
fields of telecommunications and
radio communications
International Organization
for Standardization
The ISO is a non-government organization and
network of the national standards institutes of
countries, one member per country, with a Central
Secretariat
in
Geneva,
Switzerland,
that
coordinates the system
ISO acts as a bridging organization in which a
consensus can be reached on standards and
conformity assessment solutions that meet both the
requirements of business and the broader needs of
society, such as the needs of stakeholder groups
like consumers and users
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Policy
development
committees,
standing
committees, and
ad hoc advisory
groups:
• STRATEGIES
• FINANCE
• CASCO
• COPOLCO
• DEVCO
• INFCO
Technical
Committees
• Principal officers
• Delegates of:
- Member bodies
- Correspondent Members
- Subscriber Members
COUNCIL
CENTRAL
SECRETARIAT
Technical
advisory
groups
ANSI, INDECOPI, etc.
TECHNICAL
MANAGEMENT BOARD
Committees on
general
standardization
principles:
• REMCO
Options in the ISO Organizational
Structure
TC
SC
WG
Ad Hoc
TC
WG
WG
Ad Hoc
SC
TC
WG
SC
WG
WG
WG
Ad Hoc
Ad Hoc
Ad Hoc
WG
Ad Hoc
WG
Ad Hoc
Mirror Committees
Using ANSI as an Example
Participation in the Technical Work
“P” Membership

Registration for Active Membership
 Participating “P” Members

Submit votes and/or comments on all matters coming before
the committee

Offer candidates for leadership positions

Send delegations or accredited experts to meetings

Can host meetings of the committee
 Typically, if a national member body wishes to take Pmembership on a PC, TC or SC, a mirror committee must be
formed
Declare Membership Status
Mirror Committee
ISO Technical Committee
Mirror Committee
ISO/TC XXX
NMB
Subject Area
ISO/TC XXX
Subject Area
Mirror Committee
TC XXX / SC 1
NMB
Subcommittee -----
TC XXX / SC 1
Subcommittee ----Mirror Committee
TC XXX / SC 2
Subcommittee -----
NMB
TC XXX / SC 2
Subcommittee -----
Mirror Committees: Coordinators of
National Input to ISO Activities

ANSI normally looks to the body that develops
national standards in a particular standards area
to serve as the Mirror Committee

A single organization, called the administrator,
takes responsibility for contacting U.S. national
interested parties who might reasonably be
expected to be, or who indicate that they are,
directly and materially affected by the ISO
committee’s work, to solicit requests for
membership on the mirror committee
Mirror Committees in the US

U.S. Mirror Committees are accredited by ANSI and
must follow the Institute’s cardinal principles of
openness, balance, due process and transparency

ANSI sets policy for mirror committees because the
Institute is recognized as the official U.S. member of
ISO and, through its U.S. National Committee (USNC), is
the official U.S. member of IEC

ANSI pays total dues for U.S. membership in both ISO
and IEC
U.S. Standards System
guiding principles

Standards should meet societal and market needs and should not be
developed to act as barriers to trade

The U.S. endorses the globally accepted standardization principles of
the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement
 Transparency
 Openness
 Impartiality
 Effectiveness and relevance
 Consensus
 Performance-based






Coherence
Due process
Technical Assistance
Flexible
Timely
Balanced
Openness

Participation shall be open to all U.S. national interested parties
who are directly and materially affected by the activity in question

No undue financial barriers to participation

Not be conditional upon membership in any organization, or
unreasonably restricted

Timely and adequate notice of the formation of new activities

Notice should include a clear and meaningful
description of the purpose of the proposed activity

A source for further information is readily
available
Openness
Balance

The process of developing U.S. positions shall provide an
opportunity for fair and equitable participation without dominance
by any single interest

Unless it is claimed by a directly and materially affected person,
no test for dominance is required

Consideration shall be given to at least the following:
 Producer
 User
 General interest

Where appropriate, more detailed subdivisions
should be considered
Balance
Due Process

The following minimum criteria shall be met
 Written procedures shall be available to any interested party.
 Appropriate international standards activities shall be
publically listed in order to provide an opportunity for public
comment
 Prompt consideration shall be given to the written views and
objections of all participants including those
commenting via public comment
 Unresolved objections and any substantive
change made to a proposed U.S. position
shall be reported to the participants
 An appeals mechanism should be
made available
Due Process
Consensus

Consensus for a U.S. position is established when substantial
agreement has been reached by the U.S. national interests that
are directly and materially affected by the proposed international
standard.
 If the proposed U.S. position is based
on giving consideration to changes in
an existing U.S. national standard, the
consensus process shall include U.S.
national interests that are directly and
materially affected by the U.S. national
standard.
Consensus
Operating Procedures
Cardinal Principles
Due Process
Consensus
Openness
Balance
Membership


An initial membership list (organizations and their
representatives) must be submitted with the application package.
Members must satisfy the definition of U.S. National Interested
Party:
One of the following entities directly and materially
affected by the relevant standards activity

an individual representing a corporation or an organization domiciled
in the U.S. (including U.S. branch offices of foreign companies
authorized to do business in one or more states as defined by the
relevant State’s Corporation law within the U.S.);

an individual representing a U.S. federal, state or local government
entity; or

a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
How the Accreditation Process Works

Identification of need by stakeholders

Preparation of the “accreditation package”
 Identification of the administrator
 Procedures
 Membership list

Initial review of materials and procedures by ANSI staff

Public review and comment

Comment Resolution

Final Approval

Note: while accreditation is pending, the mirror
committee may actively participate in ISO activities
Overview of the Accreditation Process
Need
Identified: TC/SC
Formed at ISO
Identification
of the
Administrator
Application Package
submitted to ANSI
Public Review of
Procedures
APPROVED
Procedures &
Membership List
Accreditation
Review of Due Process Requirements
and Preliminary Membership List
What does a mirror committee do?

Determines positions on matters arising before ISO
standards-setting committees

Submits proposals to international standards committees

Selects delegations to represent the country’s interests to the
related international committee

Appoints experts to help draft standards in development
Functions and Responsibilities

Recommend registration of ANSI as a Participating (P) or Observer
(O)member on an ISO technical committee or subcommittee or
recommend a change in ANSI membership status on an ISO technical
committee or subcommittee

Initiate and approve U.S. proposals for new work

Initiate and approve U.S. working drafts for submittal to ISO technical
committees, or subcommittees (and, where appropriate, working groups)
for consideration as committee drafts

Determine the U.S. position on an ISO draft international standard, draft
technical report, committee drafts, ISO questionnaires, draft reports of
meetings, etc.

Provide adequate U.S. representation to ISO technical committee or
subcommittee meetings, designate heads of delegations and members of
delegations, and ensure compliance with the ANSI “Guide for U.S.
Delegates to IEC/ISO Meetings”
Functions and Responsibilities

Determine U.S. positions on agenda items of ISO technical committee or
subcommittee meetings and advise the U.S. delegation of any flexibility it
may have on these positions

Nominate U.S. technical experts to serve on ISO working groups

Provide assistance to U.S. secretariats of ISO technical committees or
subcommittees, upon request, including resolving comments on draft
international standards, draft technical reports and committee drafts

Identify and establish close liaison with other U.S. TAGs in related fields,
or identify ISO or IEC activities that may overlap the U.S. TAG’s scope

Recommend to ANSI the acceptance of secretariats for ISO technical
committees or subcommittees

Recommend that ANSI invite ISO TCs or SC to meet in the U.S.

Recommend to ANSI U.S. candidates for the chair of ISO technical
committees or subcommittees and U.S. conveners of ISO working groups
Mirror Committee Members

Each member is expected to participate actively by fulfilling
attendance, voting, correspondence, and other obligations.

The Administrator will be responsible for tracking
participation and maintaining the membership roster
Administrator Functions

Serves as the designated point of contact
between ANSI and the mirror committee

Serves as the primary administrative coordinator for all
mirror committee operations

Transmits all agreed decisions of the mirror committee to
ANSI

Ensures active participation of the mirror committee on
relevant actions

Establishes and maintains procedures to hear appeals of
actions or inactions of the mirror committee
Administrator Functions

Organize the mirror committee and submit the accreditation
package to ANSI

Submit the annual report, including an up-to-date
membership roster

Monitor and determine whether the members of the mirror
committee are participating actively

Provide for administrative services, including arrangements
for meetings, timely preparation and distribution of
documents related to the work of the mirror committee, and
maintenance of appropriate records
Administrator Functions

Transmit to ANSI the . . .
 consensus proposals and positions developed and
approved by the mirror committee
 U.S. delegates lists for all international meetings

Establish a procedure to hear appeals of actions or inactions
of the mirror committee

Comply with the requirements associated with ANSI oversight
and supervision

Ensure compliance with applicable ANSI and ISO procedures
How to be Successful
Success at the National Level

Key Factors for successful ISO national mirror committees
 Ensure broad stakeholder engagement

Government

Industry

Academia

Any directly or materially affected interests
 Develop a national view

Establish procedures to develop consensus

Bring together key experts in technical sector

Ensure engagement of public and private sector interests
 Take advantage of tools provided by ISO
Success at the International Level

Commitment from developing country members of ISO
 Participation in the technical standards development work
 Buy-in and acceptance (national adoption) of ISO standards
 Implementation - use of the resulting standards

Important ISO Council action
 Proposed change to ISO member benefit

Correspondent: P-member in five standards development committees

Subscriber: P-member in five standards development committees
 Final decision to be taken in September at the ISO General Assembly

Expected to be implemented on a trial basis (2014-2015)

Encourage more countries to upgrade to full ISO membership
Key factors for success in ISO

Obligations
 As for full members participating as P-members, the new benefits
would also bring new obligations for correspondent and subscriber
members to:

Organize national consultation mechanisms, according to national needs
and priorities for the ISO standards development work in which they
participate. These mechanisms must prepare national positions that
reflect a balance of the country’s national interests. National delegations
must present these positions to the relevant ISO technical committee for
consideration.

Must organize public review processes in-country when developing national
positions on proposed ISO International Standards. The aim is to achieve
the widest possible exposure to all interested parties, including
governments, consumers and other potential users.
Key factors for success in ISO

With this new benefit, correspondent and subscriber members
can enjoy and demonstrate to their stakeholders first-hand the
advantages of increased and active participation in international
standardization

They can relay this feedback to the decision-makers in their
country, and better make the case for upgrading and expanding
participation into other topics relevant to their national
economic, social and environmental priorities

The new arrangement can also help ISO even better meet WTO
principles such as openness, impartiality and consensus by
increasing participation from developing countries
Key factors for success in ISO

Important Decision for Countries
 Dozens of important ISO committees (Environmental, Energy, Water, Air…)
 National Standards Bodies will need to make strategic decisions on where to
engage

Make a difference
 Contact your national standards body
 Encourage participation in the important committees

What if my countries does not choose to participate in ISO?
 Other opportunities for participation

National and Regional conferences

Participation in ISO international liaison organizations
Summary:
Organizational Relationships
ISO Member Body
(ANSI, INDECOPI)
International
Organization for
Standardization
ISO Technical
Committee
Subject Area
Mirror Committee
OPTIONAL
Secretariat, ISO TC or SC
Tips on Becoming an ISO Pro

Become familiar with the:
ISO/IEC Directives: www.iso.org/directives
 Part 1, Procedures for the technical work
 Part 2, Rules for the structure and drafting of International Standards
 ISO Supplement
ANSI International Procedures:
http://publicaa.ansi.org/sites/apdl/_layouts/1033/searchresults.aspx

Use the templates that ISO has developed for standards and forms. The
templates are available from www.iso.org/templates
American National Standards Institute
Jessica Roop,
Manager,
International
Policy
[email protected]
Headquarters
1899 L Street, NW
New York Office
25 West 43rd Street
11th Floor
Washington, DC 20036
4th Floor
New York, NY 10036
T: 202.293.8020
T: 212.642.4900
F: 202.293.9287
F: 212.398.0023
www.ansi.org
webstore.ansi.org
www.nssn.org