Strengthening the Compliance of the OIC Member States
to International Standards
110
this sense, APEC is an “open” forum in that encourages policy reforms on a de facto most favored nation
basis.
In line with this approach, APEC as a forum does not issue harmonized standards. Nor does it legally
require member economies to use international standards. However, the SCSC encourages member
economies to adopt international standards, in line with APEC’s vision of open regionalism, and in
furtherance of WTO commitments.18 Member economies established a number of priority areas for
alignment of national standards with international norms: electrical and electronic goods; food labeling;
rubber gloves and condoms; machinery; and information technology equipment. In 1995, the SCSC
published an APEC Guide for Alignment of Standards with International Standards. Target dates for
completion of the alignment process vary according to sector and development level, but in the initial
areas mentioned previously, 2008 was the latest date for alignment of national standards with
international ones. SCSC (2005) indicates a strong level of progress among member economies even as
of that date (Table 3).
Table 5: Alignment with international standards in APEC
Area Percent Alignment
Electrical and electronic appliances
Food labeling
Rubber products
Machinery
100%: 12 economies.
75%-95%: 6 economies.
<50%: 1 economy.
Not reporting: 2 economies.
IEC 60335
CISPR Standards
Standards and guides on conformity assessment
IEC 60950
100%: 15 economies.
75%-95%: 1 economy
50%-75%: 1 economy
<50%: 2 economies
Not reporting: 2 economies
Source: SCSC (2005).
18 This section draws on SCSC (2005).