Overview
SIST-V ISO/IEC Vodilo 59:2023 sets out recommended practices for standardization by national bodies, aligning closely with the latest principles from ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission). This Slovenian standard, which fully corresponds to ISO/IEC Guide 59:2019, offers essential guidance to support compliance with the WTO Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee’s decisions, as well as the Code of Good Practice under the WTO TBT Agreement. These practices are intended to foster transparent, open, and effective standardization processes, ensuring standards are developed in a fair and internationally recognized manner.
Key Topics
National standards bodies using SIST-V ISO/IEC Vodilo 59:2023 will benefit from recommendations in the following core areas:
- Transparency: Ensuring that information about standardization activities-such as work programmes, drafts, and procedures-is accessible to all stakeholders in a timely and clear manner.
- Openness: Facilitating inclusive participation at all stages of standardization, and actively encouraging input from diverse stakeholders, including SMEs and societal representatives.
- Impartiality and Consensus: Promoting neutral, consensus-based decision making that balances all relevant interests without favoring any participant or group.
- Effectiveness and Relevance: Ensuring standards remain aligned with actual market, regulatory, social, scientific, and technological needs, and are periodically reviewed and updated as necessary.
- Coherence: Encouraging active coordination between national bodies and harmonization with international and regional standards to avoid duplication and ensure consistency.
- Development Dimension: Supporting accessibility and participation from potentially under-represented groups and enhancing engagement across all stakeholder categories.
Applications
SIST-V ISO/IEC Vodilo 59:2023 is designed for use by national members of ISO and IEC, but its best practices are valuable across a wide range of applications:
- Development of National Standards: Helping standardization professionals establish fair processes and make standards more accessible and widely accepted.
- International Trade Facilitation: Reducing technical barriers to trade by ensuring national standards align with international requirements, supporting export and import activities.
- Regulatory Support: Offering a framework for developing standards referenced in legislation, thus supporting regulatory authorities with reliable, consensus-based documentation.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Enabling industries, government, civil society, and academia to contribute effectively, thereby ensuring that standards reflect the needs and perspectives of all affected parties.
- Quality Infrastructure: Supporting organizations in strengthening national quality infrastructure, thus improving the safety, reliability, and sustainability of goods and services.
Related Standards
When implementing SIST-V ISO/IEC Vodilo 59:2023, organizations may also consider the following related standards and references:
- ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1 and Part 2 - General procedures for the development and drafting of international standards.
- ISO/IEC Guide 2 - General vocabulary related to standardization and associated activities.
- WTO TBT Agreement (1995), Annex 3 - Code of Good Practice for the preparation, adoption, and application of standards.
- WTO TBT Committee Decision (G/TBT/9, 13 November 2000) - Principles for the development of international standards, guides, and recommendations.
- ISO/IEC Guide 17 - Guidance on the participation of small businesses in standardization.
Practical Value
Implementing SIST-V ISO/IEC Vodilo 59:2023 helps national standardization bodies and stakeholders in Slovenia and beyond to:
- Demonstrate alignment with global best practices for standards development
- Promote inclusivity, fairness, and transparency in standardization activities
- Ensure national standards support global trade by meeting WTO TBT principles
- Enhance quality, safety, and sustainability across sectors
By following these recommended practices, national bodies can create robust, market-relevant standards that stand up to international scrutiny, strengthen economic competitiveness, and facilitate meaningful stakeholder participation throughout the standardization process.