1. WSSN

1.1 What is WSSN?

1.2 To whom is WSSN addressed?
To standards users and to anyone interested in standardization activities, whether at international, regional, national level.

1.3 What advantage does WSSN offer to its users?
The ease and simplicity of a single "entry point", from which one can navigate to collect information provided by all WSSN members.

1.4 Is it possible to place an order for a standard directly from the WSSN site?
Not from the WSSN site itself, but many WSSN members do offer online Web stores or ordering services. See the Structured index - Catalogues page for relevant links. Alternatively, the ISONET Directory gives contact information for the sales services of ISONET (ISO Information Network) members.

1.5 Does WSSN provide information on standards equivalencies and translations?
Not directly. However, some national members of WSSN make available information on equivalencies between international/regional standards and their own national standards, as well as information on translations of international/regional standards into their national languages. It is therefore recommended to check the Web site of the relevant national WSSN members, to contact the ISONET member in your country, or to contact the ISO member in your country.

1.6 Does one have to pay in order to access WSSN site?
No, access to the WSSN site is free. Access to each WSSN member site is subject to the conditions applicable to the site in question. Some sites may include paying services.

1.7 Does WSSN offer a service of online assistance on technical issues?
No, this is not within the scope of WSSN. If you need assistance on a specific technical question related to standardization, WSSN aims to facilitate your locating the right standards body, to whom to address your question directly.

2. Standards

2.1 What is meant by a "standard"?
ISO/IEC Guide 2:2004 defines a standard as a document, established by consensus and approved by a recognized body, that provides, for common and repeated use, rules, guidelines or characteristics for activities or their results, aimed at the achievement of the optimum degree of order in a given context.

2.2 Who establishes the content of a standard?
At national level, the standardization work is conducted by standards committees which can obtain assistance from groups of experts. These committees or working groups are made up of qualified representatives of the industrial circles, research institutes, public authorities, consumer or professional bodies.

At regional or international level, the work is conducted by technical committees for the secretariats of which, responsibility is assumed by the national standards bodies. These technical committees are created by the technical management boards of the relevant regional or international bodies. All national members are entitled to be represented within the international or regional committee dealing with a specific subject matter.

2.3 Which elements feature in a standard?
Standards are varied in character, subject and medium. They:

cover several disciplines: dealing with all technical, economic and social aspects of human activity and covering all basic disciplines such as language, mathematics, physics, etc.;

are coherent and consistent: standards are generally developed by technical committees which are coordinated by a specialized body, and ensure that barriers between different areas of activity and different trades are overcome;

result from participation: standards reflect the results of joint work involving all competent parties concerned and are validated by consensus to represent all relevant interests: producers, users, laboratories, public authorities, consumers, etc.;

are a living process: standards are based on actual experience and lead to material results in practice (products – both goods and services, test methods, etc.); they establish a compromise between the state of the art and the economic constraints of the time;

are up to date: standards are reviewed periodically or as dictated by circumstance to ensure their currency, and therefore evolve together with technological and social progress;

have a reference status: in commercial contracts and in court in the event of a dispute;

have national or international recognition: standards are documents which are recognized as valid – nationally, regionally or internationally, as appropriate;

are available to everyone: standards may be consulted and purchased without restriction.

2.4 How many standards bodies are there?
Most countries have some form of standardizing activities and many countries participate in regional and international standardization activities. In some countries, there may be a number of standards development organizations. ISONET members can give information about standards bodies in their respective countries.

2.5 Which are the sectors covered by standardization activities?
Potentially all sectors. The catalogues of many standards bodies are structured by subject in accordance with the International Classification for Standards (ICS).

2.6 What is the organization of standardization at worldwide level?
Standards are drawn up at international, regional and national level. The coordination of the work at these three levels is ensured by common structures and cooperation agreements.

International - The work of ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, concerns international standardization in all fields except electrical and electronic engineering standards, which fall within the scope of the IEC, International Electrotechnical Commission. Both ISO and the IEC operate according to similar rules. The transposal of ISO and/or IEC standards into the national collections is voluntary: It may be complete or partial.

The ITU, International Telecommunications Union, develops international recommendations in the fields of both telecommunications and radiocommunications.

A large number of international organizations are in liaison with ISO and IEC and participate to varying degrees in their work. Several of these organizations have themselves standardization activities in their own area of interest, which are recognized at international level. In a number of cases, the results of the standardization work of these organizations are fed directly into the ISO/IEC system and appear in International Standards published by ISO or by IEC. However, some of these organizations themselves publish normative documents, and these must be taken into account in any review of international standardization.

Regional

National - Each country possesses its own national standardization system. The central or most representative national standards body participates within the regional or international bodies.

2.7 How are standards identified?
Standards are generally designated by a few letters (prefix) and a number. The letters (e.g., ISO, EN, BS,) indicate the standards body which has approved them; the number identifies the specific standard. The standards reference number quite frequently gives an indication of adoption where standards are equivalent. For example, the reference "UNI EN ISO 9001" indicates an Italian national standard (UNI) which is an adoption of a European standard (EN), which itself is an adoption of International Standard ISO 9001.

2.8 What is the difference between technical "regulations" and "standards"?
Technical rules, like standards, are "specifications" defining the characteristics and/or the performance requirements of products, services, and so on. Many other regulations are mandatory, their application being required in laws passed by a government.

However, most technical standards are drafted by standards bodies, conforming to recognized procedures, and are for voluntary implementation.

2.9 Are standards always voluntary?
Usually they are, unless a law or other similar measure requires conformance to a cited standard: in this case, the standard becomes mandatory. However, in some countries, standards are mandatory.

2.10 What are the "harmonized European standards"?   Are they voluntary or mandatory?
This is the term used to describe the standards drafted by the European standards bodies (CEN/CENELEC), on a mandate from the European Commission, with reference to the European Directives of the "New Approach" kind. These directives define generic safety requirements to which some families of products, considered dangerous or associated to serious risks, must adhere. Products made in accordance with the harmonized standards benefit from an agreement of conformity to the essential requirements of the directives, provided that the reference of the harmonized standard has been published in the Official Journal of the European Communities and that the harmonized standard has been implemented at a national level.

The harmonized European standards are voluntary. However, producers who choose to use specifications other than the harmonized standards, will be required to prove conformity of the product to the requirements of the directives in order to obtain the CE mark, which must be affixed to products defined by these directives. The national standards bodies can provide further information.

3. Certification and marks

3.1 What is meant by "certification"?
Certification is a third-party attestation related to products, processes, systems or persons. (Definition: ISO/IEC 17000:2004 Conformity assessment — Vocabulary and general principles)

It is distinct from the other systems of proof of conformity such as supplier declarations, laboratory test reports or inspection body reports. Certification is based on the results of tests, inspections and audits and gives confidence to the customer on account of the systematic intervention of a competent third body.

3.2 Does the concept of certification imply the intervention of a third party?
Yes, always.

3.3 Are there different kinds of certification? Which ones?
Product certification attests that a product complies with the safety, fitness for use and/or interchangeability characteristics defined in standard(s), and in specification(s) supplementary to standards, where they are requested by the market.

Organization certification demonstrates the conformity of, for example, an organization's quality, environmental or other management system to the relevant management system standard(s). Standards for management systems apply to the processes that an organization employs to realize its products or services - they do not apply to the products or services themselves.

3.4 When do you talk of mandatory certification?
Certification is mandatory when and where it is required by law. For instance, the European Commission requires that the CE mark be obtained for defined products which are particularly dangerous or associated to serious risks, as specified by the "New Approach" Directives. For these products, the CE mark is necessary to allow them to circulate freely in the Single European Market.

3.5 When do you talk of voluntary certification? Why is it important to apply to it?
When not required by law, that is when conformity to standards is a producer’s choice, certification is voluntary. In these cases, certification of conformity to a given standard may be an internal product requirement for a company, or it can be a strategic competitive factor since it represents a quality symbol to consumers.

3.6 What is a quality mark?
A distinctive sign affixed to a product which has obtained certification of conformity. There are mandatory and voluntary marks.

3.7 What is the function of mandatory and voluntary marks?
Mandatory marks attest to conformity to technical regulations of mandatory implementation; voluntary marks attest to conformity to standards of voluntary implementation.

3.8 Can mandatory and voluntary marks be affixed to the same product?
Yes. Mandatory marks and voluntary marks can be affixed to the same product: the voluntary mark provides a "supplementary indication" of product quality, beyond the basic legal requirements.

4. Accreditation

4.1 What does "accreditation" mean in the context of standardization?
"Accreditation" is the "third party attestation related to a conformity assessment body conveying formal demonstration of its competence to carry out specific conformity assessment tasks." Source: ISO/IEC 17000:2004 Conformity assessment — Vocabulary and general principles.

4.2 Why is the accreditation activity important?
Accreditation is an essential process guaranteeing that particular standards are being met with regard to certification activities. This is particularly important in countries where there are a large number of certification bodies and testing laboratories.

4.3 Is accreditation mandatory?
No. There is no law obliging or binding the certification bodies or the testing and calibration laboratories to obtain accreditation; this remains a completely voluntary act. Nevertheless, company strategies and, particularly, the marketplace puts increased value on accreditation.

4.4 Why is it convenient to use the services of an accredited certification body/laboratory?
Because in this way you have the results provided by their professional competence, transparency and expertise. Furthermore, the test reports issued by accredited laboratories may also be accepted abroad when mutual recognition of accreditation results (MRA) have been concluded.

4.5 Which mutual recognition agreements of accreditation results (MRA) exist?
At international level these are: -

• IAF (International Accreditation Forum)
• ILAC (International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation)

5. Other

5.1 Where can I get further information?
Most organizations have an FAQ section on their Web site where you can find questions and answers specific to the organization and its activities. See the alphabetical or geographical listing of WSSN Web sites.

ISONET: the information centres of a number of national standards bodies, regional standardizing bodies and international standardizing bodies cooperate within the framework of ISONET, the ISO Information Network. ISONET is an agreement between standardizing bodies to combine their efforts in order to make information on standards, technical regulations and related matters readily available whenever it is required. ISONET members agree to share experience and exchange information as required with each other, enabling information about foreign national standards and regulations to be obtained through the local ISONET member. Contact information for ISONET members and information on the services they provide is given in the ISONET Directory.

WTO TBT and WTO SPS enquiry points: these WTO Agreements* foresee the establishment of national enquiry points to provide information and assistance about relevant technical regulations, standards and conformity assessment procedures. Complete listings of WTO TBT and WTO SPS national enquiry points are maintained by the WTO. The listings are also made available from the ISONET Directory.

* WTO TBT: World Trade Organization Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade;
WTO SPS: World Trade Organization Agreement on Sanitary Phyto-Sanitary

See also WSSN's guidelines for addressing enquiries.