IEC signs Memorandum of Understanding with EEC

The cooperation agreement is also intended to eliminate excessive administrative regulation in the trade of electrotechnical products, facilitating for example the acceptance of certificates issued by the IEC Conformity Assessment Systems.

Currently all EEC member states are also members of the IEC. As part of this agreement, EEC is planning to send experts in coordination with the IEC National Committees to participate in IEC work. The aim is to stimulate the exchange of scientific and technological information to facilitate the establishment of requirements of electrotechnical products and guide relevant technical regulation.

Commenting on the event, Valery Koreshkov says: "The aim of the cooperation is to increase the competitiveness and safety of electrotechnical products, reduce technical barriers and eliminate excessive administrative regulation in trade of electrotechnical products.

The Memorandum intends to promote further harmonisation of the interstate standards (GOSTs) and the national standards of the EEC member states with IEC International Standards. Frans Vreeswijk underlines: "This cooperation agreement has the potential to become an important tool for the region to further stimulate industrial development, grow international trade and simplify access to global markets."

With the MoU the IEC also hopes to increase awareness by regional industry and academia and grow active participation in its standardisation and conformity assessment work.

For further information about the EEC/IEC Memorandum of Understanding please go to www.iec.ch.