International

Electrotechnical

Commission

International Standards and Conformity Assessment for all electrical, electronic and related technologies

	Strong interest in full factory certification confirmed – over 30 signatories to date Strong participation is paramount in providing internationally active companies with a competitive edge when accessing global markets Building on its White Paper, "Coping with the Energy Challenge", which was launched at the World Energy Congress in Montreal in September, the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) this week underlined the need to speed up energy efficiency initiatives. Answering the call from delegates at the conference for global technical expertise, metrics and international energy efficiency standards, the IEC reminded participants that it already provides most of these tools and that duplication will slow down initiatives and lead to confusion. ( read article ) Geneva, Switzerland, 2010-12-15
	At COP16 IEC outlines solutions to speeding up energy efficiency initiatives and eliminating duplication Redesign the energy chain, technology coordination to be put in place, greater efficiency needed in how we use raw energy Building on its White Paper, "Coping with the Energy Challenge", which was launched at the World Energy Congress in Montreal in September, the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) this week underlined the need to speed up energy efficiency initiatives. Answering the call from delegates at the conference for global technical expertise, metrics and international energy efficiency standards, the IEC reminded participants that it already provides most of these tools and that duplication will slow down initiatives and lead to confusion. ( read article ) Cancún, Mexico, 2010-12-09
	Historical agreement between IEC, ILAC and IAF Tripartite Memorandum of Understanding Reducing cost, time and complexity through the pooling of resources A historic agreement between IEC, ILAC and IAF will help significantly reduce cost, time and complexity for the reassessment of certification bodies and testing laboratories that are accredited by IAF and ILAC Member ABs (Accreditation Bodies). ( read article ) Geneva, Switzerland, 2010-11-30
	International standardization body in high profile call for interconnected Smart Grids at G20 summit in Korea How IEC can help governments and industry to find ways to build more efficient Smart Grids Building on the launch of its White Paper, “Coping with the Energy Challenge”, at the World Energy Congress in Montreal in September, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) this week presented its call for interconnected Smart Grids to the G20 Ministerial summit in Korea. ( read article ) Korea, Asia, 2010-11-15
	IEC Announces Online Smart Grid Standard Mapping Solution Open resource to reduce complexity of building smart grids by simplifying the identification and application of smart grid standards The IEC announced it will launch its online IEC Smart Grid Standard Mapping Solution. This multidimensional interactive tool will create a map of the smart grid and enable smart grid managers around the world to quickly identify IEC international smart grid standards, position them in relation to their role in the smart grid, and point out possible interactions and overlaps. ( read article ) Geneva, Switzerland, 2010-10-18
	Highest distinction in electrotechnology: Lord Kelvin Award IEC honours outstanding individuals for their lifelong contributions to electrotechnology During the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) General Meeting that took place in Seattle, USA this past week, three outstanding individuals were honoured with the Lord Kelvin Award for their lifelong contribution to electrotechnology. ( read article ) Geneva, Switzerland, 2010-10-18
	Standards make the world accessible for all 41st World Standards Day – 14 October 2010 The theme of this year's World Standards Day message is "Standards make the world accessible for all". With at least 650 million people globally affected by some kind of disability, combined with the rising numbers of older people in the world's population – one quarter of all citizens are 60 or older– the issue of accessibility to products and services has become more important than ever. ( read article ) Geneva, Switzerland, 2010-10-14
	IEC calls for a global taskforce to coordinate energy efficiency initiatives worldwide Smart Energy White Paper The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) called for a global taskforce to coordinate technology-based energy efficiency initiatives in an effort to increase coherence, and reduce duplication and wasted time, as it launched its white paper, “Coping with the Energy Challenge”, at the World Energy Congress in Montreal. ( read article ) Montreal, Canada, 2010-09-14
	Thomas A. Edison Award Laureates IEC recognizes TC/SC & CA Officers' exceptional current achievements The IEC Thomas A. Edison Award, a newly created prize, is attributed to a maximum of nine persons who are currently managing a Technical Committee or Subcommittee in the IEC or one of the IEC Conformity Assessment Systems. ( read article ) Geneva, Switzerland, 2010-09-02
	ISO, IEC and ITU to hold international workshop on accessibility International workshop – 3-4 November 2010 – Geneva, Switzerland Difficulty trying to access products, services, environments and facilities is an issue for any of us – let alone the millions of people around the world living with disabilities. To this end, an international workshop will be held on 3 and 4 November 2010 in Geneva, Switzerland, to review and examine the standards needed for facilitating the development of accessible solutions around the world. The workshop will be followed by a meeting especially organized for standards developers (but also open to other stakeholders) on 5 November 2010. ( read article ) Geneva, Switzerland, 2010-09-02
	Morocco, the 5th largest African economy, joins the IEC IEC welcomes its 81st member The IEC is today welcoming Morocco as its 81st member, joining a growing community of 162 countries involved in electrotechnical standardization. Morocco is a major player in African economic affairs and the 5th largest African economy by GDP (close to USD 91 billion in 2009). ( read article ) Geneva, Switzerland, 2010-07-27
	Competency of personnel working in hazardous areas can be certified internationally Crucial for the safety and reliability of Ex areas, equipment and workers On 15 July 2010, IECEx issued the world’s first IECEx Certificate of Personnel Competency to a person located in the UK. This personal and non-transmittable certificate provides independent proof to any potential employer that this person has the required competency (comprising qualifications and experience) to conduct work in or associated with hazardous areas, which may include area classification, installation, inspection and repair. ( read article ) Geneva, Switzerland, 2010-07-22
	ISO/IEC standard to keep laboratory testers on their toes Competence of organizations that carry out proficiency testing of laboratories New ISO/IEC standard establishes internationally harmonized requirements for verifying the competence of organizations that carry out proficiency testing of laboratories. The need for ongoing confidence in the competence of laboratories is not only essential for laboratories themselves and their customers, but also stakeholders such as regulators, laboratory accreditation bodies and other organizations. ( read article ) Geneva, Switzerland, 2010-03-17
	ISO and IEC help beef up information security management systems Toolbox of information security standards Today, information security is constantly in the news with identity theft, breaches in corporate financial records and threats of cyber terrorism. An information security management system (ISMS) is a systematic approach to managing sensitive company information so that it remains secure. It encompasses people, processes and IT systems. ( read article ) Geneva, Switzerland, 2010-03-17
	Enabling safe and efficient lighting globally Conference on Lighting Quality & Energy Efficiency Leading international experts on lighting are meeting in Vienna, Austria on 14-17 March, 2010 for the CIE (International Commission on Illumination) conference on Lighting Quality & Energy Efficiency. The IEC cooperates closely with the CIE, and is both a participant and one of the official sponsors of the event. Themes covered include energy efficiency, lighting quality in the home, the workplace, public buildings, urban lighting, environment and health, colorimetric parameters, new technologies, to name but a few. ( read article ) Geneva, Switzerland, 2010-03-15
	ISO/IEC standard will provide shared international language for energy efficiency and renewables Future International Standard harmonizing energy efficiency and renewable sources terminology The International Standard will identify and define terms used in the field of energy efficiency and renewable energy sources. It will support the metrics, calculation and assessment methods, methodologies and best practice, needed by policy makers, industry, standards writers and many other stakeholders. ( read article ) Geneva, Switzerland, 2010-03-02