W. CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. – ASTM International has been granted a three-year guest status within the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) subcommittee on standards and conformance (SCSC).

“We are honored to be granted guest status within APEC’s standards and conformance subcommittee,” notes Teresa Cendrowska, ASTM International vice president, Global cooperation. “ASTM International has strong relationships and cooperation agreements with a majority of the APEC member economies and we look forward to additional participation and commitment within the region.”

APEC is a regional economic forum established to leverage the growing independence of the Asia-Pacific region. APEC’s 21 member economies aim to create greater prosperity for the region by accelerating economic integration through the promotion of balanced, inclusive, sustainable, innovative, and secure growth.

The SCSC was established to help reduce the negative effects that differing standards and conformance agreements have on trade and investment that flows through the Asia-Pacific region.

The main objectives of the committee aim to reduce technical barriers to trade and enhance market access through standards and conformance, align each economy’s standard with international standards, promote good regulatory practices in the preparation, adoption, and application of standards, technical regulations, and conformity assessment procedures, pursue regional cooperation in accordance with international agreements and ensure greater transparency.

Benefits associated with ASTM’s guest status included an invitation to attend all non-policy-making activities, permission to address the committee on agreed-upon topics and respond to questions that arise, ability to circulate relevant documents on relevant subjects, and the opportunity to engage more deeply with the member economies.

ASTM International and APEC have collaborated successfully for over a decade, including most recently in 2021, when ASTM organized and managed two virtual APEC programs on reliable drone technology and additive manufacturing of PPE.