What is the role of International Electrotechnical Commission?

• Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi delivered the inaugural address at the opening ceremony of 89th International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) General Meeting in New Delhi on September 15.

• The minister said that the IEC has played an indispensable role in advancing global standards in the electrotechnical domain. 

• The event brings together over 2,000 experts from more than 100 countries, who will deliberate on setting international electrotechnical standards that will foster a sustainable, all-electric and connected world. 

• This is the fourth time India is hosting the prestigious IEC General Meeting, after 1960, 1997 and 2013.

International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)

• Founded in 1906, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a global, not-for-profit membership organization that brings together more than 170 countries and coordinates the work of 30,000 experts globally. 

• The IEC saw its beginnings at the International Electrical Congress in St. Louis in 1904.  

• A preliminary meeting, chaired by A. Siemens, was held in June 1906 in London under the auspices of the British Institution of Electrical Engineers.

• Of the 16 participating countries, three came from outside Europe: America, Canada and Japan. The delegates were appointed by their national institutions or their governments.

• At this meeting, Lord Kelvin, was elected the first President of the Commission and Charles Le Maistre became acting Secretary.

• Kelvin is best known today for inventing the international system of absolute temperature that bears his name. He made important contributions to electricity, magnetism, thermodynamics, hydrodynamics, geophysics and several other fields.

• IEC is the world’s leading organisation for the preparation and publication of international standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies, collectively known as “electrotechnology”.

• Its headquarters is situated in Geneva.

• India became a member of IEC in 1929.

• 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.

• Through international consensus, IEC has published more than 10,000 International Standards in many different areas of electrotechnology.

• International Standards play a substantial role in promoting technical compatibility and are fundamental for quality, safety, efficiency, sustainability and risk management. They promote interoperability of products and services from different vendors and encourage competition that makes products and systems more affordable.