THE INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS PROCESS

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THE INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS PROCESS
IMPLICATIONS FOR THE TRANSIT INDUSTRY

• International Best Practices Workshop Orlando FL,
  
• Jan 27-28, 2005
• Thomas J. McGean, P.E.
• Study Funded by TCRP J6 (48)

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INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS TOPICS TO BE DISCUSSED

• International Standards Orgs. Treaties
• European/Asian Standards Orgs. Agreements
• Engineering Society Role
• Federal Laws Governing Standards
• Role of National Institute of Standards
  Technology
• US National Standards Policy Document
• Current US Transit Industry Participation

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INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS ORGANIZATIONS (non
government)

• International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC),
  founded 1904, 60 nations, electrical and
  electronic standards, US participates thru US
  National Commission
• International Organization for Standardization
  (ISO), organized 1946, 148 nations, non
  electrical standards, US participates thru
  American National Standards Institute
• Though not official government activities,
  membership is national with each nation having
  one vote

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INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS ORGANIZATIONS (treaty)

• International Telecommunications Union (ITU), all
  nations belong, formed 1865 to deal with
  telegraph, now covers radio, TV, phone, now UN
  agency
• UN Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE),
  formed 1947, Europe, Canada, US, works with IEC,
  ISO, ITU on e-Business standards Intelligent
  Transport. Systems

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INTERNATIONAL TRADE TREATIES IMPACTING STANDARDS

• General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
  formed World Trade Organization in 1994, 132
  nations in WTO
• Annex 3 of WTO Agreement has Agreement on
  Technical Barriers to Trade (Standards Code)
  prohibits use of standards as barriers to free
  trade

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EUROPEAN STANDARDS ORGANIZATIONS/AGREEMENTS

• European Union Standards set by CEN, CENELEC and
  ETSI
• Groups parallel ISO, IEC and ITU respectively
• EU regulations give these standards regulatory
  status within the EU
• Dresden and Vienna Agreements facilitate transfer
  of EU standards to ISO/IEC standards

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ASIA PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION (APEC)

• APEC founded 1989, all Pacific bordering nations
  are members (US, Canada, Mexico, Chile, Japan,
  China, etc.)
• APEC Transportation Group led by US, USDOT
  participates in meetings
• Transportation Group has made standards a
  priority
• Geography leads to no common membership between
  EU and APEC

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ENGINEERING SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

• International status of IEEE, ASME, ASTM etc. is
  somewhat unclear.
• All formed in US but admit members from all
  nations and have standards used all over the
  world
• BUT, not within aegis of IEC/ISO system
• One vote per person (organization), not one vote
  per nation
• Unclear whether World Trade Agreement limits
  international SDO status to IEC/ISO system.

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KEY FEDERAL LAWS GOVERNING STANDARDS IN USA

• Public Law 104-113 Standards should be used by
  government for regulatory purposes if feasible.
  Agencies should actively work with SDOs
• Volunteer Protection Act Good Samaritan
  protection vs lawsuits for SDO volunteers
• TEA-21 ITS projects must conform to National ITS
  architecture standards
• Sherman Act Standards can not restrain trade
  (criminal penalties apply)
• Nat. Coop Res Prod Act Limits liability of
  SDOs under Sherman Antitrust Act

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NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY
(NIST)

• Established in 1901
• In 1988 charged to facilitate competitiveness of
  US industry
• Implements WTO provisions re standards and trade
  for the USA

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NATIONAL STANDARDS POLICY FOR THE UNITED STATES

• Jointly created by ANSI and NIST Published in
  August, 2000
• Key Provisions
• Lack of participation in international standards
  will cause US to lose market share
• Historic US principles should apply in the
  international arena (consensus, openness,
  balance, transparency, due process etc)
• IEC/ISO, Engineering Societies, and Industry
  groups all are legitimate global SDOs
• Cooperation/coordination is required for focus
  and to avoid overlap
• Recent use of standards in US regulatory process
  should be promoted
• Vienna/Dresden agreements 1 Nation/1 Vote
  rule should be revisited
• US government should financially support
  standards process

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CURRENT US PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL TRANSIT
STANDARDS

• ISO TC 204 Intelligent Transportation
• ISO TC 22 Road Vehicles
• IEC TC9 Electrical Systems for Railways
• ASCE Automated People Mover Standards

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ISO TC 204 WG8

• International ITS Standards Effort Led by ITS
  America as Secretariat
• ITS Transit Standards Working Group Led by Alan
  Kiepper
• Major US Leadership Presence

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ISO TC 22

• Road Vehicles (including buses)
• ISO TC 31 Tyres, Rims, and Valves
• Mentioned for completeness. Little transit
  industry concern with this area

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IEC TC9

• Electrical Rail Standards (Transit Mainline RR)
• Led by EU Nations (France, Italy)
• US Involvement Historically Low, but has
  Increased
• WG40 transit command control
• WG39 automated people movers
• APTAs Lou Sanders now serves as US Technical
  Advisor for TC9

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Automated People Mover Standards

• Effort led by standards committee of the American
  Society of Civil Engineers, an engineering
  society
• Committee has published 3 standards used
  worldwide for APMs, is developing 4th
• IEC is also considering development of APM safety
  standards

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REQUIREMENTS FOR MEANINGFUL IEC/ISO PARTICIPATION

• Single Person must serve as US Lead and regularly
  attend meetings held worldwide
• Other experts must be available to attend
  meetings as needed
• This needs to include transit agency personnel
• This all costs money

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CONCLUSIONS

• General International Standards Issues
• Review of international standards process in
  light of new global economy
• Transit Industry Specific Standards Issues
• US Industry presently participating mainly thru
  Traditional US Engineering Societies
• Serious IEC/ISO participation requires major
  funding and industry commitment