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Inventory of National Practices on Standards, Technical Regulations
and Conformity Assessment in the Western Hemisphere


IV. Conformance to International Standards
B. Conformance to International Standards in Development of National Standards

Antigua & Barbuda
Standards writing is done by members of staff of the Bureau of Standards using regional and international documents.

Argentina
Development of the IRAM Standards is governed by the ISO/IEC Guide, and also by the IRAM Regulation for the Study of Standards. International standards are adopted whenever possible.

Bahamas
The established standards conforms to international standards, as these standards are adopted as Drafted Bahamian Standards. Most notable the Codex Food Standards are being adopted.

Barbados
National standards are based on international standards, and BNSI frequently adopts international standards (ISO, IEC, OIML, CODEX) as the national standards. Use is made of the development manuals and guides of the ISO.

Belize
The standards act empowers the Bureau of Standards to implement mandatory standards to protect the health and safety of consumers. The standards required by regulation would in some instances be similar to international or regional standards. In most cases the standards used in other countries by recognized certifying bodies are accepted by regulatory agencies in Belize. Presently there are no legislated conformance requirements used for either self-certification or supplier's declarations.

Bolivia
IBNORCA develops its procedures based on international and regional standards. To date an initial document exists that should be revised. This same document sets forth the procedures for adopting international or foreign standards as national ones.

Brazil
Brazilian standards preferably use international standards, in their form and content, adding to them whenever needed, the particulars of the national market, as an addendum to the international standard. International standardization is promoted mainly by the sectors involved and coordinated by the ABNT. The standardization system follows the international directives, especially the ISO/IEC directive 3 (drafting and presentation of international standards).The work of the National Standards System is consistent with the ISO/IEC GUIDE 59 - "Code of Good Practices for Standardization".

Canada
Standards established conform to international standards, except for national and provincial requirements. The work of the National Standards System is consistent with the ISO/IEC GUIDE 59 "Code of Good Practices for Standardization".

Chile

Colombia
International standards and guides, such as ISO, IEC, ITU, Codex Alimentarius, are used to draft Colombian technical standards. In some cases, other countries' regional or national standards are used. The procedure for developing the actual standards is governed by the steps stipulated internationally, according to the Code of Good Practice for the Elaboration, Adoption and Application of Technical Standards adopted by the World Trade Organization, Annex III.

Costa Rica
INTECO uses the standards developed by international standardization agencies, especially the ISO, Codex Alimentarius, and the IEC, as the basis for developing technical standards.

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Ecuador
INEN uses international standards from the ISO and Codex Alimentarius as the basis of studies and standardization in developing national standards. The work of the preparation of the national standards is consistent with ISO/IEC Guide 59 "Code of Good Practices for Standardization".

El Salvador
The CONACYT takes international standards (ISO, Codex Alimentarius, and IEC) as the basis for developing standards and technical regulations.

Grenada
In developing Grenadian standards, use is made of such materials which include standards published by other standards bodies. These include the International Organization for Standards (ISO), Codex Alimentarius, Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados standards organizations. Where no Grenadian standards exist presently, standards from Codex Alimentarius and ISO are acceptable.

Guatemala
The standards developed by the Guatemalan Standards Commission draw in part on pertinent international standards in some areas, and when technological development of the counterpart entity allows.

Guyana
All standards produced by the Guyana National Bureau of Standards are mainly adopted from both regional and international standards.

Haiti

Honduras

Jamaica
It is policy and practice in the established standards development process to utilize international standards wherever possible. These standards are for the most part adopted but may be adapted with changes to reflect local needs. Many private organizations also adopt international (ISO/IEC, CODEX) and Regional (EEC) standards for their operations.

Mexico
The "Guide for Drafting, Structuring, and Presenting Mexican Standards" (NMX-Z-13, 1977) contains a specific chapter entitled "Agreement with International Standards" where it is established that each standard shall mention the name and designation of the international standard that was taken as a basis, or from which particular features were drawn in preparing the Mexican Official Standards (compulsory) and the Mexican Standards (voluntary).

Panama
Regulations and technical standards are developed using the standards and guides from international standardization organizations as a basis.

Paraguay
The Department of Technical Standards of the INTN develops normative documents, which are based on national standards from other countries, regional standards (COPANT and MERCOSUR) and/or international standards under the Technical Standardization Committees and the Technical Secretariats for Standardization.

Peru
Within the Peruvian standardization system, priority is accorded to adopting international standards (ISO, Codex Alimentarius).

Saint Lucia
In preparing national standards, the SLBS draws upon other available worldwide standards, and more particularly, those available in CARICOM member states.

Trinidad & Tobago
The standards writing organizations function with statutory authority and in most cases develop standards which generally conform with international practice. It is the policy of TTBS to use international (ISO) and regional (CCMSC) standards, in the first case, as the basis of Trinidad and Tobago national standards.

United States
It is the practice of many non-government U.S. organizations to adopt international standards whenever possible. In general, international standards are considered by U.S. standards writing committees. Either concurrent with or following approval at the international level, an international standard may be submitted to ANSI for approval as an American National Standard by any ANSI-accredited standards developer. This process is identical to that for U.S. developed standards submitted to ANSI for approval. Technical experts who participate in the work of the various standardizing bodies located in the U.S. often also participate in the work of the ISO/IEC through ANSI. The standards of a number of U.S. organizations are adopted as international standards in such fora as ISO/IEC, or are used by industry and/or government in a number of countries. Under Title IV of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979, federal government agencies which are developing standards and technical regulations are to take into consideration international standards and use them, if appropriate. In that same legislation, the President commits to use reasonable measures to ensure that state government agencies and private persons fulfil this obligation. There is a complex array of relationships between the various standardizing bodies and organizations with an interest in standardization within the U.S. economy, and in their relationships with organizations in other economies, including international and regional organizations.

Uruguay
The task of standardization cannot be performed independent of standardization efforts in the rest of the world. This led UNIT to join the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), to participate actively in founding the Pan American Commission on Technical Standards (COPANT), and to win the recognition and representation of official international standardization organizations. UNIT's participation in ISO and COPANT enables the country to benefit from the results of regional and international standardization work, and inversely helping ensure that national interests and viewpoints can be shared regionally and internationally. Its participation in the organizations noted and the exchange of publications and advisory services among all the standardization institutions have led UNIT to collect 200,000 standards from all types of sources as material for consultation to achieve standardization. In the elaboration of its standards UNIT gives priority to standards of ISO and IEC, and when possible, those standards are adopted with no modifications. In the case of modifications they are introduced in the cover page or through footnotes, respecting integrally the text of the corresponding international standard.

Venezuela
COVENIN is based on international standards, particularly of ISO, IEC, and Codex Alimentarius, which serve as references in establishing its binding standards. Where there are no international standards on a particular subject, COVENIN looks for reference to the national standards of other countries and standards of internationally-recognized associations. The standardization system follows the international directives, especially the ISO/IEC directive 3 (drafting and presentation of international standards). At present the standardization system has adopted the Code of Good Practices for the Development of Technical Standards adopted in the World Trade Organization.

 
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