International standards and conformance organisations
This page provides information about international organisations that develop standards and provide coordination for accreditation bodies.
On this page
International Standardization Organisation (ISO)
ISO is the world’s largest developer of internationally harmonised standards. It develops voluntary standards that cover a broad range of subjects and markets. It owns over 22,041 International Standards.
ISO is a private, non-government network of national standards institutes including Standards New Zealand. Its members don't directly represent the governments of their countries of origin.
International Standardization Organisation website(external link)
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) produces International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.
Like ISO, it is a private, non-governmental network of national standards institutes.
It oversees 175 technical committees and sub-committees involved in setting standards and owns over 6,300 published standards and standards-type documents.
International Electrotechnical Commission website(external link)
International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC)
ILAC is an international organisation for accreditation bodies involved in accreditation of conformity assessment bodies including:
- calibration laboratories
- testing laboratories
- medical testing laboratories
- inspection bodies.
International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ) and JAS-ANZ are members of ILAC.
International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation website(external link)
International Accreditation Forum (IAF)
IAF is a global association for accreditation bodies that accredit conformity assessment bodies for:
- management systems
- products
- services
- personnel
- other similar programmes of conformity assessment.
JAS-ANZ is a member of IAF.
International Accreditation Forum website(external link)
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation: Specialist Regional Bodies (SRBs)
The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC) is the primary organisation promoting trade and investment liberalisation and practical economic cooperation in the Asia Pacific region.
We represent New Zealand's standards and conformance interests in APEC's Standards and Conformance Sub-Committee.
Sub-Committee on Standards and Conformance(external link) — APEC
The Sub-Committee helps achieve the standards and conformance aspects of APEC's trade and investment liberalisation and facilitation agenda.
The Sub-Committee aims to facilitate international trade by aligning standards and conformance arrangements where appropriate. It is focused on supporting economic interdependence through a greater alignment of APEC member standards with international standards.
New Zealand actively participates in the Sub-Committee's work which includes:
- aligning member standards with international standards
- recognising conformity assessment in the regulated sector
- progressing mutual recognition arrangements for conformity assessment within the region
- developing technical infrastructure.
New Zealand is fully committed to encouraging regulatory cooperation between APEC members and is an active member of 5 APEC special regional bodies which are responsible for developing standards and conformance infrastructure in the Asia Pacific.
Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC)
APAC is the regional accreditation cooperation forum for the Asia Pacific region recognised by IAF and ILAC. APAC primarily manages and promotes mutual recognition arrangements (MRA) among accreditation bodies in the Asia Pacific region.
APAC’s members include accreditation bodies, accreditation focal points and other organisations that have an interest in accredited conformity assessment results.
APAC supports the work of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Sub-Committee on Standards and Conformance (SCSC) as 1 of 4 APEC Specialist Regional Bodies (SRBs).
Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation website(external link)
Asia Pacific Legal Metrology Forum (APLMF)
APLMF aims to develop legal metrology and facilitate trade by harmonising approaches to metrology and removing technical barriers to trade.
Stephen O’Brien, the manager of Trading Standards (which sits within MBIE) is the current APLMF President, in addition to being the APEC Special Regional Bodies Convenor.
Asia Pacific Legal Metrology Forum website(external link)
Asia Pacific Metrology Programme (APMP)
APMP is a grouping of national metrology institutes from the Asia Pacific region. It improves regional metrological capability through the sharing of expertise and exchange of technical services among member laboratories.
Asia Pacific Metrology Programme website(external link)
Pacific Area Standards Congress (PASC)
PASC is a grouping of Pacific Rim National Standards Bodies. It supports the region’s engagement in the international standardisation system for advancing economic, societal and environmental well-being.
Pacific Area Standards Congress website(external link)
World Trade Organization (WTO)
We participate in regular WTO committee discussions on market access issues relating to technical barriers to trade. During these discussions we often raise trade barriers faced by New Zealand exporters.
We are particularly active in committee projects with a longer-term focus, such as developing trade facilitation and best practice guidance, and increasing transparency.
New Zealand has been appointed the Chair of the TBT (technical barriers to trade) Committee for 2018/19. The TBT Committee is scheduled to complete its Ninth Triennial Review by end of 2021