BRUSSELS, 13 September 2021—Standards organisation ASTM International today welcomed the publication of a report by the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that highlights unique features and benefits of ASTM’s agile, independent process for developing global standards.

The 55-page OECD report cites ASTM’s “unique membership structure”, “open participation” and “inclusive and representative decision-making process” as features that enable ASTM International to quickly develop standards in fast-moving markets, such as automation, nanotechnology, 3D printing and sustainable construction. This, in turn, facilitates trade as well as environmental and consumer protection.

 “The unique membership structure of ASTM International aims to ensure an inclusive and representative decision-making process, with the goal of encompassing as many of the interested/affected actors in the regulated field or industry sector as possible, notwithstanding their pre-existing political or economic power,” notes the report. Like other standard development organisations, “they help regulators draw on international expertise and facilitate trade by reducing specification and conformity assessment costs.” The report also helps ASTM International prioritise efforts to continuously increase the effectiveness, impact and relevance of its standards.

The OECD report, titled International Regulatory Co-operation and International Organisations: The Case of ASTM International, was published on the occasion of the annual meeting of its Partnership of International Organisations for Effective International Rulemaking.

Katharine Morgan, ASTM International president, welcomed the publication of the report. “We are grateful for the OECD’s recognition of ASTM’s inclusive and agile approach to standards development,” she said. “We hope that the OECD report will accelerate the recognition of ASTM standards and testing programmes as being at least as thorough and impartial as those of other international standards organisations that may be more familiar to EU stakeholders.”

“Many European institutions and sectors regularly rely on ASTM standards, while others have hesitated because they didn’t understand how we fit in,” said Morgan. “The OECD report is helpful in that it places us on a level playing field with other international standards organisations.”

The OECD report highlights several ASTM International standards success stories including standards as varied as personal protective equipment for ice hockey players and medical professionals, sustainable aviation fuel and sustainable construction.

The OECD Case Study can be found on here: https://www.oecd.org/gov/regulatory-policy/irc-astm-case-study.pdf

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