Welcome to IFAN

The International Federation of Standards Users is an independent, non profit-making international association of national organizations for the application of standards, companies, professional and trade associations, and governmental agencies, concerned with the use of standards.

To learn more about IFAN read our newsletter which gives information on IFAN events, and includes articles written by IFAN members

IFAN News

48th IFAN Members’ Assembly

IFAN is pleased to announce that its 48th Members’ Assembly will be held on Wednesday 29 September 2021, with a start time of 7.00 BST & Kinshasa/ 8.00 CET/ 9.00 Tel Aviv/ 14.00 Beijing/ 17.00 Sydney/ 23.00 San Francisco/ 01.00 [30 Sept] Houston.

The 2021 MA will again be a virtual event.

IFAN Webinar: The importance of standards to business

The latest IFAN Webinar examines the benefits to users of getting involved with standardization. Our four panelists are Terry Hill (business leader in the technology sector and former Chair of the Arup Group), Tuvia Liberman (CTO of Teldor Cables and Systems Lts and Teldor Telecoms Ltd), Laurent Oberle (Socomec), and Ross Wraight (CEO of the Standards Group and IFAN President. Our moderator was Keith Wilson, IFAN Treasurer.

The recording can be watched on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmSQJaVKS5g

IFAN President speaks in Kinshasa Conference

On 13 April 2021 Ross Wraight, IFAN President spoke at a meeting organised by IFAN Member APROMEN. and held at the Federation of Enterprises of Congo [FEC] about the benefits to business of using standards.

The talk helped business leaders understand the concept of standardization, its importance to trade and the advantages to FEC members particularly in relation to the African Continental Free Trade Zone [ZLECAF].

Further details: Link here

IFAN Webinar on International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on progress made by women, to call for change and to celebrate acts of  leadership by women, who have played an extraordinary role in standardization. The IFAN Webinar: Women Leadership in time of crisis was held on 8 March 2021 and seven women in standardization together IFAN Board Member and Moderator Vered Oren discussed their perspective on standardization during the Covid 19 Pandemic.

The recording can be watched on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoWfQvur5n8    

IFAN Newsletter 1-2021 published

The latest IFAN Newsletter is now available and has articles on the Teenagers Standardization Olympiad; News from IFAN Member APROMEN; Women in Standardization and the IFAN Webinar on International Women’s Day.

The Newsletter can be read here.

IFAN Welcomes new Board member and new Vice-President

On the 1st January 2021 Mr Bertin Ntumba Bululu joined the IFAN Board starting his first term of office. Mr Ntumba Bululu is President of Association pour la Promotion de la Métrologie et la Normalisation en République Démocratique du Congo (APROMEN), based in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Mr Ntumba Bululu is keen to start an IFAN Africa Group and proposes to introduce IFAN to colleagues who are standards users in other African countries.

APROMEN recently held a ‘Standards Month’, and recalled the event in a Newsletter which can be read here.

Also on the 1st January Ms Claudia Bach began her first term as IFAN Vice President (Corporate), Ms Bach represents Society for Standards Professionals (SES) the IFAN member for the USA and Canada.

Ms Bach is Joint Chair of IFAN Working Group WG3 Standards Access and Distribution.

The IFAN European Group announces the publication of Guide 5

At the 47th IFAN Members’ Assembly the IFAN European group announced the publication of its new Guide 5 Introduction to the world of European standards for standards users.

This guide is intended to give some basic information on the European standardization system to the beginner, who has just started to work in an organization that uses standards.

Guide 5 can be downloaded here.

All IFAN Guides are available on the Publications tab.

IFAN Participates in ISO Members’ Webinar
As part of its 2020 virtual GA, ISO ran a series of Webinars for members and invited IFAN to participate in the first one: Meeting the needs of users. A report on this event will be in the next Newsletter.

The meeting can be viewed on YouTube at this link.

IFAN July 2020 Newsletter

The latest IFAN newsletter is now available, it includes details of IFAN events during the pandemic and the 5th part of the Grenfell articles series: Standards under the microscope by Keith Wilson.

The Newsletter can be viewed here

47th IFAN Members Assembly, 15 October 2020 - updated

IFAN is pleased to confirm that its 47th Members Assembly will be held on Thursday 15 October 2020.

After due consideration the IFAN Board has decided to make the 47th MA a virtual meeting. The meeting will be shortened to comprise the formal meeting with only one speaker Mr Scott Steedman Vice President Technical of ISO. More details to follow.

IFAN paper competition winner interviewed by IFAN Vice-President Vered Oren

Elie Cohen, winner of the 2019 IFAN paper writing competition is interviewed by Vered Oren, IFAN Vice President. Mr Cohen talks about how the application of International Standards helped his company to be successful.

The video can be viewed here.

IFAN and the Commonwealth Standards Network

IFAN is proud to be an Associate Member of  the Commonwealth Standards Network, the Commonwealth Standards Network (CSN) aims to tackle non-tariff barriers and promote strong trade amongst all Commonwealth states through the participation, adoption and implementation of international standards.

A video has just been launched that highlights the programme's ongoing work in supporting intra-Commonwealth trade particularly in developing countries through the increased use of international standards - helping achieve economic prosperity, reduce poverty and create new market opportunities.

The video can be viewed here.

IFAN Welcomes new Board member and new Vice-President

1st January 2020 sees Prof. Albert Cavalli of ACANOR join the IFAN Board to begin his first term as a member of the Board. Professor Cavalli graduated from university in physical sciences completed with a Master in management of enterprises, he completed his basic education with trainings about the general principles of EU law and standards at the European Centre for transposition. Becoming a member of EuRefer (European association representing the referents and stakeholders at the European Institutions, he became its General Secretary , then after 2 years as President of the Saint John International University in Europe, he is now in charge of the Pole of development PEPITEE for Alsace economics area reconversion and new economy implementation including globalization market thanks to standards developments.

Dr Burkhard Raith of ANP has already served 2 terms as a member of the IFAN Board and now starts his first term as Vice-President (National), Dr Raith works in the standardization department of Thyssenkrupp AG.

IFAN thanks Ms Evelyne Thomann of ACANOR

On 31st December 2019, Ms Evelyne Thomann of ACANOR stepped down after serving two terms as Vice President (National), IFAN would like to thank her for her hard work as Vice-President.

IFAN are pleased to announce the winners of the 2019 paper writing competition

The winning paper was:

Crisis to Rebirth, by Elie Cohen

Second prize was:

Make good use of standardization, by Wanru

Chen, Zhenji Wang and Jun Ren.

Third prize was:

How to encourage young people to get involved,

by Peiwu Zhu and Tingjun Huang

The Winning paper can be read in IFAN’s December 2019 Newsletter, which can be accessed here

The second and third placed papers will be published in the next two Newsletters in 2020.

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