U.S. Standards System: Standards used in U.S.
Rather than mandating a “one-size fits all” solution, the U.S. standards system provides a tremendous amount of flexibility to those who depend upon it.
Stakeholders – companies, organizations, government agencies, and consumers – select the tools and solutions that best meet their unique needs.
Frequently, these approaches, philosophies and positions will vary across industry sectors.
At the heart of the U.S. system are documents that arise from a formal, coordinated, consensus-based and open process. These are commonly called voluntary consensus standards and are written by industry professionals from both the public and private sectors. The voluntary process requires full cooperation by all parties. It depends upon data gathering and compromises among a diverse range of stakeholders. When due process is followed, the resulting standards provide economic benefit to the many rather than the few.
U.S. industry generally relies on standards that are globally relevant (i.e. standards that are suitable for use around the world) as they provide turnkey access to global markets. A globally relevant standard is most often developed through one of three distinct methods:
The United States Standards Strategy
The United States Standards Strategy (USSS) was developed to provide a central framework that would permit different groups to select and derive value from those elements of the document that resonate most clearly with their individual or sector's needs.
It recognizes the importance of flexible approaches to standardization that can meet specific market needs. The Strategy also acknowledges the reality that all standards developers such as consortia and forums play an important and integral part of the global economy, technology base, and standards system.
Each element of the Strategy clearly supports the U.S. view that standardization should be driven by the marketplace and
adhere to the set of globally accepted principles for standards development expressed in the
Second Triennial Review of the World Trade
Organization's Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement.
Learn more about the U.S. Standards Strategy.
National representation (one country - one vote)
