IEC Affiliate Country Program

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is responsible for developing and publishing international standards and specifications for all electrical, electronic and related technologies. Its International Standards are recognised by the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and are used by WTO member countries as the basis for their national standards. Some 200 technical committees and subcommittees and 10,000 experts around the world contribute to the standardisation work of the commission.

The IEC Affiliate Country Program offers newly industrialising countries a form of participation in the IEC without the financial burden of membership.

The aims of the program are to encourage greater awareness and use of IEC International Standards in such countries while helping them to understand and participate in the work of the Commission.

The two forms of participation in the IEC's work are membership and associate membership. Membership gives countries the possibility of fully participating in international standardisation activities.

Members are national committees each having voting rights.

Associate membership allows for limited participation of countries with limited resources. Associate members have observer status and can participate in all IEC meetings. They have no voting rights.

The IEC has 52 members and 11 associate members, the latter group now including Vietnam and Korea. The Affiliate Country Program, created in 2001, has 51 participants.