Consistent, transparent, targeted. ISO standards have a lot in common with the principles of better regulation.

Developed through the consensus of  globally established experts, regulators and governments count on ISO standards to help develop better regulation.

ISO standards provide a strong basis that can be applied in the development of national and international regulation.

Not only do they help save time, they are essential tools for reducing barriers to international trade.

This document provides a framework on how International Standards can support policymakers and regulators in preparing, adopting and applying policy, and in particular, technical regulations (TRs).
The ISO policy brief: A primer on public policy – maximizing your NSB’s engagement with policymakers outlines how a National Standards Body can play a pivotal role in supporting public policy across various stages of the public policy life cycle. This brief is intended to serve as a complement to the …

ISO standards help policy makers to:

  • Open up world trade – ISO – along with IEC and ITU – have a strategic partnership with WTO. The WTO’s Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade  recognizes the contribution  international standards can make towards improving the efficiency of production and international trade, and their key role in the harmonization of regulations;
  • Stimulate solutions to national and international issues such as disaster mitigation and recovery, efficient energy resources and international trade;
  • Save money, through providing much of the technical detail and safety requirements  needed for effective policy;
  • Provide solutions to policy issues that represent a wide range of views and expertise and have the buy-in of many  stakeholder groups.

In addition, ISO standards are developed with the involvement of governments worldwide, ensuring the needs of policy makers are taken into account.

For more information about how standards support public policy see our dedicated website.

This leaflet summarizes the information found in the brochure "Using and referencing ISO and IEC standards to support public policy". It briefly describes the advantages and benefits of using ISO and IEC International Standards to support policy initiatives. See also www.iso.org/policy.
Describes the advantages and benefits of using ISO and IEC International Standards to support policy initiatives, including referencing International Standards in legislation or regulation.
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Conformity Assessment tools for regulators
Designed for standards developers, conformity assessment bodies and regulators, this online resource provides tools to support public policy.