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Government Pressure
I feel as though I must reply to Albert Batik’s assertions in
his letter in the January issue. I have been a delegate to ISO
committees since 1972 and have never so much as heard a hint of
government pressure on how to vote. As for asking former colonies
(USA would qualify) to vote with us, they would tell us in no
uncertain terms where to go. What you do see from all countries
is pressures from industry to influence the national vote in favor
of their product. That is why we have consensus standards.
European countries do have one advantage; they have the CEN forum
where they can fight out their own differences (which can be larger
than with other countries) in advance of ISO. Other regional groups
could do the same.
In reply to Gale Foster [in the same issue] on ISO thinking itself
the sole international authority, there are other international
standards bodies for different fields, the obvious example being
IEC. However, there are many of us (probably a considerable majority)
who do not consider ASTM, or for that matter BSI, as being international
in the same sense.
Roger Brown,
Rapra Technology,
Shawbury,
Shrewsbury UK
A Masterpiece
Concerning the article by Stephen C. Lowell entitled “The Yin
and Yang of Standards Development” in the December 1999 issue
of SN—I’m not surprised that it was a first-place winner in the 1999
World Standards Day competition. It is a masterpiece.
It should be required reading for everyone who becomes chairman
of a committee or subcommittee.
William K. Wilson,
McLean, Va.
Chairman,
Subcommittee D06.20
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