There are many Standards Bodies studying ICTs to create standards, test suites and promote interoperability events in different fields.
ITU cooperates closely with other standard development entities and international organizations. This cooperation aims at avoiding duplication and overlapping of activities, at harmonizing standards covering same topics, individuating gaps in standardization and coordinating activities. A detailed list of such entities can be found here
Criteria to establish such cooperation are shown in the following ITU-T A-series Recommendations:
ITU-T A.4: Communication process between ITU-T and Forums and Consortia
ITU-T A.5: Generic procedures for including references to documents of other organizations in ITU-T Recommendations
ITU-T A.6: Cooperation and exchange of information between ITU-T and national and regional standards development organizations
ITU-T also established Memoranda of Understanding with some international and regional organizations aimed at strengthening the collaboration between ITU and them.
ITU intends to cooperate with SDOs to share, through this C&I portal, their information and web sites, other existing conformity products databases, information on laboratories, availability and references to test suites for consideration.
Moreover it will possible to increase awareness of available testing facilities and test suites applicable to ITU Recommendations and/or their normative references and to fill gaps to meet the needs of labs, vendors and customers.
Within the ISO the CASCO committee has the function :
- To study means of assessing the conformity of products, processes, services and management systems to appropriate standards or other technical specifications.
- To prepare international guides and International Standards relating to the practice of testing, inspection and certification of products, processes and services, and to the assessment of management systems, testing laboratories, inspection bodies, certification bodies, accreditation bodies and their operation and acceptance.
- To promote mutual recognition and acceptance of national and regional conformity assessment systems, and the appropriate use of International Standards for testing, inspection, certification, assessment and related purposes.
- CASCO publications on Conformity Assessment (note: it contains the publication Building Trust of ISO)
UNIDO, the specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes industrial development for poverty reduction, inclusive globalization and environmental sustainability, is implementing a number of projects in developing countries in the area of conformity assessment, particularly in testing and calibration laboratories in different fields. The scope of work covering standards, certification, metrology, testing and accreditation to date has focused mainly on ISO standards and it is recognized that this large project portfolio needs to be established also for electro-technical and telecommunications-related activities. Hence UNIDO is expanding its scope to forge systematic cooperation relationships not only with ISO but also with the ITU and the IEC. The approaches to conformity assessment and inspection activities related to ISO, IEC and ITU standards have some common principles that may help developing countries to develop or build on a common infrastructure.
ILAC ( International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation ) The International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) is an organization of laboratory accreditation bodies established with the aim of removing technical barriers to trade by promoting global confidence and acceptance of accredited laboratory data through a Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA). The ILAC aims to harmonise laboratory and inspection accreditation practices and to achieve international mutual recognition of test reports. The signatory accreditation bodies are peer-reviewed to ensure that they meet ILAC’s competence criteria .
- ILAC promotes laboratory and inspection accreditation to industry, governments, regulators and consumers via the ILAC Arrangement, thus facilitating acceptance of test, inspection and calibration data accompanying goods across national borders
IAF (International Accreditation Forum)The International Accreditation Forum (IAF) is an international organisation of accreditation bodies with the motto “certified once, accepted everywhere”. The IAF has a MultiLateral recognition Arrangement (MLA) for the recognition of certificates issued by bodies that are accredited by members of the IAF. Its primary function is to develop a single worldwide programme of conformity assessment which reduces risk for business and its customers by assuring them that accredited certificates may be relied upon. Accreditation assures users of the competence and impartiality of the body accredited.
BIPM: The International Bureau of Weghts and MeasuresBIPM provides the basis for a single, coherent system of measurements throughout the world, traceable to the International System of Units (
SI). This task takes many forms, from direct dissemination of units (as in the case of mass and time) to coordination through international comparisons of national measurement standards (as in electricity and ionizing radiation).coordinates international measurement science and capabilities. It ensures appropriate accuracy and reliability for measurements made in different laboratories ensuring compatibility in trade and commerce
Those entities willing to participate in the ITU C&I programme may contact
conformity@itu.int.
