Cooperation with international standards organizations

The PKN has been a member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) since 1947. Its status is that of a founding member. In the International Electrotechnical Commission, IEC, the PKN performs the duties of a National Electrotechnical Committee and its membership in the commission dates back to 1923.

ISO – International Organization for Standardization is a non-governmental organization; while its members are not delegated by governments, some of its member organizations are in fact parts of government structures. It ensures the organization a special place between the public and private sectors, particularly in relation to industrial associations. As a rule, each country is represented by just one organization.
 

IEC – International Electrotechnical Commission is a global organization which prepares and publishes International Standards in electrotechnical and electronic technologies and related fields (such as electric, electronic and electrotechnical engineering, electroacoustics, multimedia, telecommunications, medicine, terminology, electromagnetic compatibility, etc.), which serve as a basis for national standards and a reference for tendering procedures and international contracts.

The PKN’s rights and obligations of an ISO and IEC member:

• representing national stakeholders in the organizations’ governing and executive bodies;
• propagating international standardization activities;
• implementation of ISO and IEC standardization documents;
• participation in technical works:
  • participation of the PKN’s experts in working groups (WG),
  • participation of the PKN’s delegates in the meetings of technical bodies,
  • operation of technical body secretariats by the PKN,
  • consultation of working documents at all stages.

There are two levels of participation in the works of respective technical committees (TC) and subcommittees (SC):

• P’ membership (participating member) – which involves active participation in the works of a specific TC or SC, i.e. consultation of working documents, voting drafts of standardization documents, and participation in meetings;
• O’ membership (observer member) – which allows access to working documents and participation in the meetings of a specific technical body as an observer.

Each national body declares its participation in the works of respective TCs or SCs or notifies its lack of interest in such works.

Statistics of PKN participation in ISO and IEC TCs/SCs (December 2021):

*) including data of ISO/IEC Joint Technical Committee JTC 1 and its SCs and Joint Project Committee JPC 2.

**) Percentage of total active ISO and IEC TCs/SCs.