Coordination of US Government standards-related Activities in the United States 2008

This proprietary  report summarizes four public sector and one private sector initiative currently striving (May 2008)  to coordinate standards policy activities of government agencies in the United States.  GTW created the  report as written document and an electronic document file.  The electronic document file includes embedded links to additional reference pages on the  Web. 

The Interagency Committee on Standards Policy (ICSP) advises the Secretary of Commerce and the heads of other Executive Branch agencies in matters related to standards policy.  

The ANSI Government Member Forum provides a forum for the discussion of government standards and conformity assessment issues, as they relate to the American National Standards Institute and its members. 

The   Industry Trade Advisory System (ITAC) is   jointly administered by the U.S. Trade Representative and the Secretary of Commerce.  The ITAC 16 on Standards and Conformity Assessment provides policy and technical advice, information, and recommendations concerning standards and conformity assessment and trade barriers. 

USTR consults with other government agencies on trade policy matters through the Trade Policy Review Group (TPRG) and the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC). 

In November 2007, the Interagency Working Group on Import Safety prepared an Action Plan for Import Safety with specific short- and long-term recommendations to better protect consumers and enhance the safety of the increasing volume of imports entering the United States.

The first appendix is a slide presentation suitable for briefing the contents of this report.

Remaining appendices contain much relevant further background information on the coordination initiatives.   

II        ICSP meeting minutes January 2008 

III        ICSP meeting minutes November 2007 

IV        Application for ANSI membership by Government member 

V         APPLICATION OF 18 U.S.C. § 208 TO   SERVICE BY EXECUTIVE BRANCH EMPLOYEES ON BOARDS OF STANDARD-SETTING Organizations 

VI   CHARTER OF THE INDUSTRY TRADE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON STANDARDS AND TECHNICAL TRADE BARRIERS 

VII    ITAC 16 Opinion on the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement 

VIII  IFAC 2 May 15, 2001 letter to Department of Commerce Secretary Donald Evans and USTR Robert Zoellick 

Appendix IX        Government Agencies with which USTR Cooperates 

Appendix X        Charter and Roles of the TPRG and TPSC 

Appendix  XI    Executive Order: Establishing An Interagency Working Group on Import Safety

XII Roles of members of the IWGIS in assuring the safety of product imported to the United States