Standardization News

ASTM International has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Development Brunei Darussalam. The MOU was signed by James A. Thomas, ASTM president, and Hj Abidin Hj Saidin, head, Authority for Building Control and Construction Industry, Ministry of Development, on Feb. 22. This is the 74th MOU that ASTM has signed with a national standards organization.

Initiated in 2001, ASTM International's MOU program promotes communication between ASTM International and national standards bodies worldwide, fostering awareness of the standardization systems of all parties involved. The purpose of the program is to increase greater worldwide participation in the ASTM standards development process and facilitate the development of national standards that will aid health, safety, and environmental and economic conditions. More information on the MOU program can be found on the ASTM International website (www.astm.org/GLOBAL).The following national standard organizations have provided reports detailing their MOU relationships with ASTM.

Afghanistan

Established in 2004, the Afghanistan National Standards Authority signed an MOU with ASTM the following year. ANSA develops and maintains Afghan national standards and technical regulations, the testing and certification of products, metrology function, promotion of technical progress and facilitation of trade through standardization.In the past year, ANSA has referenced 72 ASTM standards in Afghan national standards. The majority of these standards are from ASTM Committees D02 on Petroleum Products and Lubricants and D04 on Road and Paving Materials. In addition, professionals and students in Afghanistan have participated as ASTM members.

Philippines

The Bureau of Product Standards under the Department of Trade and Industry develops, implements and coordinates all standardization activities in the Philippines. BPS signed an MOU with ASTM in 2003. Since then, BPS has used hundreds of ASTM International standards for the development of Philippine national standards. This includes standards for adhesives, cement and concrete, building construction, consumer products, steel, glass ceramics, adhesives and more. This year, 61 ASTM International standards were adopted as identical Philippine national standards.

Currently, more than 250 Filipino technical experts serve on of ASTM 0 standards development committees.

South Africa

The South African Bureau of Standards is the national institution for the promotion and maintenance of standardization and quality in connection with commodities and the rendering of services in South Africa. Like ASTM, SABS publishes national standards developed through a consensus process in technical committees.SABS has referenced hundreds of ASTM International standards in South African national standards since 2003. More than 250 ASTM standards were referenced in the preparation of South African national standards in the last year. In addition, one ASTM standard was adopted as an identical South African standard, while another ASTM standard was referenced in South African regulations.

Close to 150 South Africans take serve on ASTM0 technical committees. SABS has also taken part in ASTM technical assistance programs on textiles and gasoline held in South Africa.In 2010, SABS took part in another benefit offered to MOU signatories, the ASTM Standards Expert Program. Every year, ASTM International invites standards experts to ASTM headquarters for a one-month period as part of the SEP program. During the stay, the expert learns about ASTM International and its operations, ASTM technical committees and ASTM's virtual tools. Percy Malatsi, a project leader in the chemical and mining department at SABS, participated in the 2010 program.

Turkey

The Turkish Standards Institution, established in 1954, is the national standards body of Turkey. TSE oversees quality and system certification, product and service site certification, personnel certification, laboratories, calibration, standard preparation, legal issues and research planning. ASTM and TSE signed an MOU in 2003.There are more than 8,000 Turkish national standards. Since 2003, Turkey has adapted, adopted or referenced thousands of ASTM standards in the development of Turkish standards. More than 1,000 ASTM standards were consulted by TSE for Turkish national standards in 2010. Currently, more than 160 professionals from Turkey participate on ASTM International technical committees.