ANSI Signs MoU with SCC Formalizing Cooperation in Regional and International Standardization

U.S. and Canadian Organizations will Work to Ensure National Standards Do Not Present Technical Barriers to Trade

Recognizing the importance of bilateral cooperation in standards and conformance initiatives, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) intended to support North American positioning in the global market. ANSI president and CEO S. Joe Bhatia and SCC CEO John Walter signed the MoU at the 2015 COPANT General Assembly in Mexico City on April 14. Mr. Bhatia serves as president of COPANT, the Pan American Standards Commission.

The MoU identifies how the two organizations are aligned in recognizing the desirability of globally relevant standards. The agreement details each country's commitment to ensuring that their national standards do not present technical barriers to trade, especially within the framework of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and their application to facilitate international trade.

ANSI and the SCC agree to exchange views on the activity, operations, and programs of work of various international and regional standardization and conformity assessment organizations, including but not limited to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), COPANT, and the Pacific Area Standards Congress (PASC).

ANSI's vice president of international policy Joseph Tretler and SSC's vice-president of standards solutions Sylvie C. Lafontaine will serve as the designated representatives for the MoU.

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"An MOU between ANSI and SCC is an excellent step toward strengthening goals and enhancing communication related to areas of standardization and conformity assessment," said Bhatia.

ANSI and SCC have a long history of successful collaboration to strengthen standardization efforts. Recently, SCC released a report outlining the standardization-related strategic goals between the two organizations—intended to drive global competitiveness. The SCC report, A Perspective on U.S. Standardization, part of an ongoing series of best practice exchanges on setting national standardization priorities, highlights a 2014 strategic session meeting between Mr. Walter and Mr. Bhatia on these issues.