(ANSI: New York) -- On Oct. 5, 2011, more than 90 international experts gathered in Montreux, Switzerland, for a meeting hosted by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to exchange information and insights on the role of conformity assessment as a vital component of world trade.

Conformity assessment encompasses the processes used to demonstrate that a product, service, management system, person, or organization meets specified requirements. Conformity assessment is an important component of international trade and global supply chains, and provides support for government regulation.

An introductory session run by Olivier Peyrat, chair of ISO’s Conformity Assessment Committee (CASCO), and Sean MacCurtain, head of conformity assessment, ISO Central Secretariat, familiarized participants with recent issues raised at the ISO CASCO plenary.

In a session focused on best practices for establishing and operating national mirror committees, participants discussed how to best identify and engage stakeholders in support of ISO’s consensus-based standards development process.

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