IEC welcomes Algeria and Qatar as members

Algeria and Qatar are the latest countries to join the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) – the world’s leading organization that prepares and publishes International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies and that manages global conformity assessment systems.

Both countries join the IEC as full members. Full membership grants countries the right to participate fully in all IECÂ’s standardization and conformity assessment activities, including the right to vote on all matters.

A total of 153 countries are now participating in the IEC Family (71 Members and 82 Affiliates from developing countries). Altogether the countries in the IEC Family represent more than 95% of the world population.

Commenting on the news, IEC General Secretary & CEO Ronnie Amit said: "The IEC is pleased to see that its efforts to recruit countries that had not considered the IEC as being an important asset to their economies are now bearing fruit. These countries realize that the role played by international standardization and conformity assessment activities is essential to their economic development. Especially since the IEC is working closely with the World Trade Organization (WTO) which recognizes, through its Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), that international standards and conformity assessment play a critical role in improving industrial efficiency and developing world trade.”