Cars

Any mention of ISO's customers would of course be lacking without a reference to its World Standards Cooperation ( WSC) partners, the International Electro- technical Commission (IEC) and the International Tele- communication Union (ITU), with whom ISO continued to reap the fruits of collaborative success, highlighted in the May 2009 issue of ISO Focus. Commenting in the May ISO Focus 2009 issue on the achievements of WSC, Ronnie Amit, CEO and Gen- eral Secretary of the IEC said : "It is a testament to the strength of the relationship that we have the flex- ibility to adapt to market conditions and community strengths." Malcolm Johnson, Director of the Interna- tional Telecommunication Union, Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (ITU-T ), reiterated the feeling : "The work of WSC partners in the development of glo- bal standards has helped the smoother, more econom- ical introduction of many new technologies." International customers ISO's network of international partners does much to ensure that ISO standards are globally relevant and meet the requirements of the customers that use these standards. As of 2009, there were some 700 organi- zations in liaison with ISO. They are also proof of the recognition amongst international organizations that International Standards play significant roles in the glo- bal economy and in improving the welfare of human- kind and of the planet. Take, for instance, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which the United Nations Industrial Develop- ment Organization (UNIDO) signed with ISO to reinforce their partnership in favour of sustainable development. This new agreement strengthens the long-standing strategic partnership between the two organizations in order to promote sustainable development and eco- nomic growth through standards development and implementation, capacity building and training, joint publications and related research. In addition to UNIDO, ISO cooperates with several other key organizations in the field of development of trade. One such example is the World Trade Organiza- tion ( WTO). Its agreements, such as those dealing with technical barriers to trade and sanitary and phytosani- tary measures, urge regulators to base their measures on relevant international standards. WTO members are also encouraged to participate in the work of interna- tional standardizing bodies. ISO Focus 2009 05.indd 1 11.05.2009 10:39:49 Photo : Nancy Falcon-Castro. UNIDO Director- General Kandeh K. Yumkella (left) and ISO Secretary-General Rob Steele (right), at the MoU signature in Vienna, Austria. Ronnie Amit, (left) CEO and General Secretary of the IEC and Malcolm Johnson, (right) Director of ITU-T. 7 Annual Report 2009

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