What is a standard?

A Standard represents a document established by consensus and approved by a relevant body, aimed for joint and repeated use, providing rules, guidelines or characteristics for activities or their results with a purpose of achieving an optimal degree of order in a given context.

Standards are generally accepted rules and regulations. They may include comprehensive technical specifications (product characteristics and requirements), product manufacturing procedures, testing and conformity assessment methods.

The application of standards ensures better efficiency in the entire production, improves the quality of services and contributes to meeting the highest level of expectations of customers and consumers.In order to increase public confidence in standards, it is important to ensure wider participation of stakeholders in the development and discussion on standards. Standards are developed, revised, supplemented, modified or withdrawn depending on innovations related to the science and technology development. Standards are means of information and a basis for facilitating global trade as well as for enabling communication between partners.