International Organization For Standardization

Abstract

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is an international non-governmental organization and the peak organization for 158 national standards bodies (NSBs). The earliest organized international standardization came in 1865 with the formation of the International Telegraph Union. ISO's members are NSBs, that is, the body most representative of standardization in its country. A country can have only one member of ISO. Each full member is entitled to membership of any ISO TC or policy committee. All authority in ISO is vested in its annual general assembly, which consists of the principal officers (President, two Vice-Presidents, Treasurer, and the Secretary-General - the Chief Executive), together with the delegates of all full members. The real cost of the secretariats is estimated at CHF 120 million a year, while ISO itself has to raise the CHF 30 million that it outlays on its central secretariat. Keywords: annual general assembly; International Organization for Standardization (ISO); national standards bodies (NSB)