Founded in 1906, the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) is a global, not-for-profit membership organization that brings together more than 170 countries and coordinates the work of 20 000 experts globally. It is the world’s leading organization for the preparation and publication of international standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies, collectively known as “electrotechnology”.
The mission of the IEC is to achieve worldwide use of IEC International Standards and Conformity Assessment systems to ensure the safety, efficiency, reliability and interoperability of electrical, electronic and information technologies, to enhance international trade, facilitate broad electricity access and enable a more sustainable world.
In 1986, ISO, the IEC and CIE agreed to co-operate on areas of mutal interest within the context of a Memorandum of Understanding, which, in 1992, was supplemented with a follow-up MoU, with the aim to delineate the responsiblities of the IEC and CIE more clearly, in order to intensify the collaboration and to avoid duplication of effort and delays.