IEC Council delegates to the SMB (Standardization Management Board) the management and supervision of the IEC's standards work. The SMB is a decision-making body which reports to the CB (Council Board).

The SMB comprises:

• A chairman, who is an IEC Vice-President



• Fifteen members elected by the Council and their alternates appointed by the NC (National Committee)

(seven permanent members, appointed from NCs paying the highest percentage of annual dues combined with the highest number of TC/SC secretariats held, and eight members elected from full member NCs, account being taken of personal qualifications, a balanced geographical distribution, and the number of TC/SC secretariats held by their respective NC.)


• The IEC General Secretary as an ex officio member, without vote

The SMB is responsible for the setting-up and disbanding of TCs (technical committees) and SCs (subcommittees), approval of their scopes; appointment of TC/SC chairmen and allocation of secretariats; allocation of standards work, timeliness of standards production; approval and maintenance of the Directives; reviewing the need for, and planning for, IEC work in new fields of technology; and maintenance of liaisons with other international organizations.

SMB sub-groups

The SMB has set up sub-groups:

• Advisory Committees to advise, guide and coordinate IEC work under the auspices of SMB with the aim of ensuring consistency



• Strategic Groups to provide strategic guidance and roadmaps on specific areas of technical activity that require coordination both for new initiatives and ongoing work

The SMB meets three times a year.