Standardization News

Annual Reports Indicate Continued Success of MOU Program

ASTM International has recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Institut National de la Normalisation et de la Propriété Industrielle of Tunisia. The MOU was signed by James Thomas, ASTM International president, and Aymen Mekki, director general of INNORPI. The MOU is the 70th that ASTM has signed with national standards bodies throughout the world.

In addition, the national standards bodies of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mongolia and the United Arab Emirates have all filed annual reports that indicate the ongoing success of their memorandums of understanding with ASTM International. Reports are supplied each year by national standards bodies that have MOUs with ASTM International.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Institute for Standardization of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BAS) notes that they have adopted several ASTM International standards over the past year. BAS and ASTM signed an MOU in 2002.The institute oversees the public standards of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and represents the country in international, European and other interstate organizations for standardization. The organization participates in the preparation of technical regulations, develops and establishes the information system of the standards of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and educates personnel on standardization.

For the year 2009, BAS reported that 22 ASTM International standards were adopted as identical Bosnia and Herzegovina national standards, and 34 ASTM standards were referenced in Bosnian regulations. Almost all of the ASTM standards were petroleum and fuel standards developed by ASTM Committee D02 on Petroleum Products and Lubricants, which oversees more than 700 ASTM standards. BAS also has a committee dedicated to petroleum, BAS/TC11 on Petroleum and Petroleum Derivatives.

Mongolia

The productive partnership established with the signing of an MOU between the Mongolian Agency for Standardization and Metrology and ASTM International six years ago continued in 2009.

MASM approves and publishes all Mongolian standards based on a mutual understanding and voluntary agreement between parties from governmental authorities, industry and business with regard to consumers' rights. A 22-member council that includes representatives from ministries, nongovernmental organizations, academia and various industries oversees MASM.MASM reports that 20 ASTM International standards were adopted as identical Mongolian national standards in 2009. In addition, three ASTM standards were used as reference documents in the development of Mongolian national standards. The adopted and referenced ASTM standards cover various sectors, including concrete, petroleum, roofing, protective coatings, road and paving materials, and alternative energy. More than 20 individuals from Mongolia participate on one or more of ASTM's 141 technical committees.

United Arab Emirates

A federal United Arab Emirates authority established by federal law in 2001, the Emirates Standards and Metrology Authority oversees all national standards and technical regulations in the UAE federation. ESMA and ASTM signed an MOU in 2008.

Similar to ASTM International, where technical committees cover various industry sectors, ESMA has established technical committees in the areas of construction and building materials, electrical and electronic products, chemical and plastic products, and petroleum products and lubricants.

In the report, ESMA states that 10 ASTM International standards have been adopted as identical United Arab Emirates national standards, and an additional 22 ASTM standards were used in the preparation of UAE standards over the past year. Close to 100 individuals from UAE participate on one or more ASTM technical committees. Over the past few years, members and staff from ASTM International have traveled to the United Arab Emirates to participate in various standards-related workshops and conferences and to teach ASTM technical training courses.

The ASTM International Memorandum of Understanding Program

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 at www.astm.org/GLOBAL.