ECOS | Environmental Coalition on Standards

Standards & standardisation policy

International standardisation

We need global commitments to tackle global environmental challenges. International standardisation is an important mechanism for facilitating global trade, including in environmental goods and services. Many products are sold across international markets, making harmonisation of product characteristics and test methodologies around the globe beneficial, especially for industry, but also consumers. International standards contribute to spreading knowledge, sharing technological advances and management practices, increasing consumer safety, opening markets to safe use of new technologies, and reducing regulatory divergence. The standardisation system operates on an ‘international first’ approach to avoid barriers to international trade, meaning standards are – preferably – developed internationally and then adopted at national or regional level.

Other tools such as international environmental agreements and protocols led by supra-regional organisations are also on our radar. As global environmental challenges increase, international policies and standards are becoming an essential tool and ECOS is more and more present in their development.

What we are working on

  • We aim to strengthen the environmental voice in international standardisation.
  • We contribute to key international standards developed by the standardisation organisations ISO, IEC, and ITU-T.
  • We continuously increase our presence in key technical committees of the international standardisation organisations, in particular ISO, IEC and ITU-T, as well as participate in governance and advisory groups of those organisations, pushing for greater environmental ambition in standards, as well as inclusiveness in their rules and procedures.
  • We seek to facilitate access to the international standards development process for environmental stakeholders, and help them effectively participate.
  • We contribute to the development of global ecolabels, such as the Global Electronics Council’s EPEAT scheme, for electronics and technology
  • We contribute to the development of international environmental agreements, such as the global Plastics Treaty, to ensure that standards play an appropriate role in successful implementation.
  • We engage with the United Nations bodies – such as UNCTAD, UNEP (as a recognised observer to UNEA), UNIDO – to ensure that they use standards appropriately.
Contact person
Nerea Ruiz Fuente
Policy Director nerea.ruiz@ecostandard.org
Amina Aissani
Senior Programme Manager amina.aissani@ecostandard.org

ECOS is co-funded by the European Commission and EFTA Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or EISMEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

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