Leading groups of international experts that develop standards for the International Organization for Standardization recently gathered in Geneva to discuss the efficiency and global relevance of ISO’s standards development system. Every working day, 10 or more ISO meetings took place in different parts of the world, as well as the virtual meetings and contacts made using ISO’s Web-based IT tools for technical work. Because the system is extremely decentralized, ISO instituted a conference for the chairs of its technical committees and their subcommittees to provide them with regular face-to-face meetings.

The June conference was entitled “Making The ISO System Globally Relevant and Efficient,” and was designed to address new developments in the standards-developing community and exchange information. Attendees discussed ISO’s code of ethics, the 2005–2010 strategic plan, five-year action plan for developing countries and ISO’ policy for global relevance.

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