IEEE, IEC expand standards agreement

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND and PISCATAWAY, NEW JERSEY - The IEEE and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) have agreed to extend their existing cooperation agreement, which describes a procedure for submitting and approving existing IEEE standards to IEC, to include a procedure permitting joint, parallel development of a project in both organizations leading to an IEC/IEEE International Standard.

The agreement is an addendum to the original IEC-IEEE Dual Logo Agreement, signed in October 2002. It establishes procedures for IEC and IEEE to jointly develop standards, the process of which includes consulting to establish the need for new standards projects, initiating a joint development project, preparing and circulating draft standards, and voting to approve those standards. It also includes processes for maintenance of approved standards to keep them up to date, as well as details on publication, copyright and sales.

"We are extremely pleased to extend our agreement with IEC," said Terry deCourcelle, Director, IEEE-SA Governance & International Standards Programs. "This new procedure will allow both IEEE working groups and IEC Technical Committees to jointly develop standards in the same field while sharing information and development from all parties. This type of international cooperation is critical for the development of future standards that will be accepted by the worldwide technical community."

"With this new agreement, IEC and IEEE continue their commitment to respond to the needs of the marketplace," said Aharon Amit, General Secretary & CEO, IEC. "We are reducing the resource burden on industry by rationalizing the work of the experts participating in the standards development process."

The first standard completed under the IEC/IEEE dual logo agreement was published in May 2004.