ANSI Staff and Members attend 2008 PASC meeting.
Press Release Summary:
ANSI President and CEO S. Joe Bhatia led the 23-person U.S. delegation at the 31st Pacific Area Standards Congress (PASC) in Shanghai, China, held April 21-25, 2008. A prime focus was an update on the interactions between PASC and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) including the APEC Business Advisory Council and the APEC Sub-Committee on Standards and Conformance. Attendees also discussed the development of the ISO Energy Management System Standard.
Original Press Release:
Asia-Pacific Standards Community Shares Information and Pledges Cooperation at 2008 PASC Meeting
Representatives from standards communities throughout the Asia-Pacific region gathered at the thirty-first Pacific Area Standards Congress (PASC) in Shanghai, China. Held April 21-25, 2008, the meetings were hosted by the Standardization Administration of the People's Republic of China (SAC), the Chinese national standards body under the Chinese Administration for Quality, Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ).
American National Standards Institute (ANSI) president and CEO S. Joe Bhatia led the 23-person U.S. delegation, which included ANSI staff members and representatives from ANSI member organizations including industry, standards and code developing organizations, and the U.S. government.
This year's meeting kicked off with a welcome to rejoining member Chile, as well as to observers from India and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. At the close of the meeting, the standards bodies of both observing countries were invited to become PASC members.
A prime focus of the Congress was an update on the interactions between PASC and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) including the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) and the APEC Sub-Committee on Standards and Conformance (SCSC). Presenters, including Gary Kushnier, ANSI vice president of international policy, and Steven Bipes, ANSI director of regional and bilateral policy, discussed initiatives to strengthen the cooperation between ABAC and the Asia-Pacific standards and conformance communities. PASC 31 showed continuing support for use of the SRB Strategic Plan for Technical Infrastructure Development in Support of Trade Facilitation for and in APEC Economies as the primary mechanism for coordinating related work.
Attendees at this year's Congress also discussed the development of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Energy Management System Standard, an effort jointly led by ANSI and the Associacao Brasileira de Normas Tecnicas (ABNT).
Presentations by Mr. Bhatia, Rob Steele of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and Jong Ku Yoon of the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) encouraged all Congress members to actively participate in this new ISO activity.
During the course of the multi-day meeting, several other presentations provided attendees with a snapshot of current standardization and conformity assessment activities throughout the Asia-Pacific region:
Ms. Teresa Cendrowska, vice president of global cooperation for ASTM International, presented "Information Sharing on Chemical Standards" and shared ASTM's activities in the field.
Mr. Doug Durant, of John Deere, presented "Organization Cooperation for Effective International Standards Development; ISO-OECD."
Ms. Suzanne Kiraly, of the Canadian Standards Organization (CSA), presented "The Economic Value of Standardization in Canada," including the results of CSA's study on the economic impacts of standards.
Presentations by representatives from the Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC), the Asia-Pacific Legal Metrology Forum (APLMF), and the Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (PAC) highlighted Specialist Regional Bodies (SRB) activities.
In each case, PASC 31 attendees were encouraged to show support and get involved with these activities when appropriate.
The next PASC meeting will be held in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia from March 31 - April 3, 2009, and will be hosted by Standards Australia (SA). For more information, please contact Steven Bipes, ANSI regional and bilateral policy director (sbipes@ansi.org; 202.331.3607).
