Making standards work together

SPCG objectives

Coordination of new fields of technical activity:
– Review all new proposals for new fields of technical activity under consideration in, IEC, ISO and ITU’s Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T)
– Identify early areas of common interest (and future challenges) in new standardization activities proposed in the three organizations
– Provide recommendations and mechanisms for coordination, collaboration and joint work to the respective technical boards (SMB, TMB, TSAG);

Coordination of existing areas of technical activity:
– Review existing standardization activities in IEC, ISO and ITU-T and identify areas where coordination is required and/ or could be enhanced
– Develop recommendations for coordination in existing and new technical structures

SPCG areas of collaboration

The SPCG has developed two landscape documents on the existing standardization activities in IEC, ISO and ITU-T.

These landscapes are offered as tools to assist in possible coordination not only among the respective groups, but also for submitters for any new planned or proposed groups or fields, with the overall purpose of addressing any overlaps, and to avoid duplicative activities.

Examples of areas of collaboration:

Support for SPCG by the leaders of IEC, ISO and ITU

Innovation and technology development is accelerating. Technologies are converging and most electronic goods communicate with others. Stakeholders need to be able to work together to provide technical solutions for increasingly complex systems, and to ensure interoperability of devices from different manufacturers. Nowadays, intense competition and close cooperation co-exist.

This requires a portfolio of coherent standards, devoid of conflicting requirements, to eliminate confusion and reduce the burden on standards makers and users.

IEC, ISO and ITU are fully committed to fostering and promoting cooperation under the banner of the World Standards Cooperation (WSC) and the Standardization Program Coordination Group (SPCG).

SPCG is to implement key principles that guide coordination at the technical level. While the three organizations are different in terms of culture, structure, and processes, we acknowledge that we all have a legitimate stake in areas of converging technologies. However, we also commit to avoiding conflicting requirements through planning and coordination based on mutual respect and trust.

Whenever new standardization work is undertaken, we will look beyond our own organization to consider if relevant standardization efforts have already started elsewhere. We encourage active dialogue to explore how work could be done together through liaisons or joint working groups.

IEC, ISO, and ITU will regularly circulate and review new proposals and to encourage committee leaders to timely share information regarding work programmes so as to avoid conflicting requirements or overlaps.

Jo Cops
IEC President

Sung Hwan Cho
ISO President

Seizo Onoe
Director, ITU Telecommunication Standardization Bureau,
On behalf of Doreen Bogdan-Martin,
ITU Secretary-General

Official documents and operational information

Terms and Definitions

Databases in IEC, ISO, and ITU on terms and definitions

For looking-up terms and definitions, users and developers of international standards are invited to utilize the databases hosted by IEC, ISO, and ITU:

Webinar

Fostering more effective IEC/ISO/ITU-T standards coordination and collaboration (2023年07月03日)

Presentation

Webinar Q&A

Recording

Contact the SPCG

Thomas Korssell (Chair)

Chair for IEC-ISO-ITU-T SPCG

Email

Mikaela Sampson (Secretary)

Secretariat for IEC-ISO-ITU-T SPCG

Email

International Electrotechnical
Commission

International Organization
for Standardization

International
Telecommunication Union