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International standards

Key international standards for manufacturing and trade, organised by the 40 fields of the International Classification for Standards (ICS) and by standards body – scope, use, certification and official links.

Fields (ICS)
40
Standards bodies
25
Standards
246
Certifiable
21

Standards by field

The 40 top-level fields of the International Classification for Standards (ICS, ISO) – each with an introduction and its key standards.

ICS 01Generalities. Terminology. Standardization. Documentation9 standardsICS 03Services. Company organization, management and quality. Administration. Transport. Sociology31 standardsICS 07Natural and applied sciences4 standardsICS 11Health care technology6 standardsICS 13Environment. Health protection. Safety22 standardsICS 17Metrology and measurement. Physical phenomena8 standardsICS 19Testing13 standardsICS 21Mechanical systems and components for general use6 standardsICS 23Fluid systems and components for general use6 standardsICS 25Manufacturing engineering12 standardsICS 27Energy and heat transfer engineering6 standardsICS 29Electrical engineering12 standardsICS 31Electronics6 standardsICS 33Telecommunications. Audio and video engineering8 standardsICS 35Information technology16 standardsICS 37Image technology3 standardsICS 39Precision mechanics. Jewellery4 standardsICS 43Road vehicles engineering6 standardsICS 45Railway engineering4 standardsICS 47Shipbuilding and marine structures4 standardsICS 49Aircraft and space vehicle engineering4 standardsICS 53Materials handling equipment4 standardsICS 55Packaging and distribution of goods18 standardsICS 59Textile and leather technology9 standardsICS 61Clothing industry6 standardsICS 65Agriculture6 standardsICS 67Food technology17 standardsICS 71Chemical technology4 standardsICS 73Mining and minerals4 standardsICS 75Petroleum and related technologies8 standardsICS 77Metallurgy16 standardsICS 79Wood technology5 standardsICS 81Glass and ceramics industries5 standardsICS 83Rubber and plastic industries7 standardsICS 85Paper technology5 standardsICS 87Paint and colour industries7 standardsICS 91Construction materials and building15 standardsICS 93Civil engineering4 standardsICS 95Military affairs. Military engineering. Weapons3 standardsICS 97Domestic and commercial equipment. Entertainment. Sports8 standards

Standards bodies

ISOInternational Organization for StandardizationInternational · 169 standardsIECInternational Electrotechnical CommissionInternational · 24 standardsITUInternational Telecommunication UnionInternational · 1 standardsCACCodex Alimentarius Commission (FAO/WHO)International · 6 standardsIPPCInternational Plant Protection ConventionInternational · 3 standardsWOAHWorld Organisation for Animal Health (founded as OIE)International · 2 standardsWCOWorld Customs OrganizationInternational · 0 standardsIMOInternational Maritime OrganizationInternational · 3 standardsICAOInternational Civil Aviation OrganizationInternational · 1 standardsOIMLInternational Organization of Legal MetrologyInternational · 2 standardsUN/CEFACTUnited Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UNECE)International · 2 standardsGS1GS1Industry body · 1 standardsASTMASTM InternationalIndustry body · 4 standardsCENEuropean Committee for StandardizationRegional · 10 standardsCENELECEuropean Committee for Electrotechnical StandardizationRegional · 0 standardsETSIEuropean Telecommunications Standards InstituteRegional · 2 standardsIEEE SAIEEE Standards AssociationIndustry body · 1 standardsAPIAmerican Petroleum InstituteIndustry body · 4 standardsASMEAmerican Society of Mechanical EngineersIndustry body · 2 standardsAWSAmerican Welding SocietyIndustry body · 1 standardsJISC / JSAJapanese Industrial Standards Committee / Japanese Standards AssociationNational · 2 standardsSTAMEQCommission for the Standards, Metrology and Quality of Viet NamNational · 0 standardsIATFInternational Automotive Task ForceIndustry body · 1 standardsIPCIPC (Association Connecting Electronics Industries)Industry body · 2 standardsDoDU.S. Department of Defense – Defense Standardization ProgramNational · 3 standards

What are international standards and why do they matter for traders?

International standards are documents developed by consensus in bodies such as ISO, IEC, ITU and the Codex Alimentarius Commission. They set requirements, test methods or guidance for products, processes and management systems. The WTO TBT and SPS Agreements encourage countries to base technical regulations on international standards, which makes them the common language between buyers and sellers.

  • Standards are voluntary, but become mandatory when a technical regulation, a contract or a buyer refers to them.
  • Certification (e.g. ISO 9001) is issued by independent certification bodies; ISO itself does not certify.
  • In Vietnam many international standards are adopted as TCVN; technical regulations (QCVN) are the mandatory documents.
  • Standard texts are copyrighted – buy the official edition from the publisher or a national standards body.

International frameworks & standards →

International frameworks & standards

WTO, WCO, Incoterms, ISO and steel-structure standards.

See all →
WTO / GATT 1994Marrakesh Agreement establishing the WTO and GATT 1994WTO TFATrade Facilitation Agreement (TFA)WTO Customs ValuationCustoms Valuation Agreement (GATT Art. VII)WTO Rules of OriginAgreement on Rules of Origin