ANSI Essential Requirements
1.6 Consideration of views and objections
Prompt consideration shall be given to the written views and objections of all participants, including those commenting on the PINS announcement or public comment listing in Standards Action.
2.4 Coordination and harmonization
Good faith efforts shall be made to resolve potential conflict between and among existing American National Standards and candidate American National Standards.
2.5.1.2 Assertions of conflict or duplication
If a developer receives written comments within 30 days from the publication date of a PINS announcement in Standards Action, and said comments assert that a proposed standard duplicates or conflicts with an existing American National Standards (ANS) or a candidate ANS that has been announced previously (or concurrently) in Standards Action, a mandatory deliberation of representatives from the relevant stakeholder groups shall be held within 90 days from the comment deadline. Such a deliberation shall be organized by the developer and the commenter and shall be concluded before the developer may submit a proposed standard for public review. If the deliberation does not take place within the 90-day period and the developer can demonstrate that it has made a good faith effort to schedule and otherwise organize it, then the developer will be excused from compliance with this requirement. The purpose of the deliberation is to provide the relevant stakeholders with an opportunity to discuss whether there is a compelling need for the proposed standards project.
6 Including the national adoption of ISO and IEC standards as American National Standards, but excluding actions set-forth in 2.5.1.1.
2.5.1.3 PINS Deliberation Report
The outcome of a PINS deliberation shall be conveyed in writing (the "Deliberation Report) within 30 days after the conclusion of the deliberation by the developer to the commenter and to ANSI. Upon submission of the Deliberation Report, the developer may continue with the submission of the proposed standard for public review. If additional deliberations take place, they should not delay the submission of the proposed standard for public review, and an updated Deliberation Report shall be conveyed within 30 days after each deliberation. Any actions agreed upon from the deliberations shall be carried out in a reasonably timely manner, but normally should not exceed 90 days following the deliberation. Subsequently, the developer shall include all of the Deliberation Report(s) with the BSR-9 submittal to the ANSI Board of Standards Review (BSR) for consideration should the developer ultimately submit the subject standard to ANSI for approval. Stakeholders who were involved in the PINS deliberation process may also file separate Deliberation Report(s) with ANSI and the developer within 30 days after conclusion of any deliberation for consideration by the BSR, if the standard is submitted to ANSI for approval.
In the case of ANSI Audited Designators, the Audited Designator shall provide a Deliberation Report to the commenter and to ANSI within 30 days after each deliberation. The Audited Designator shall review the results of the deliberation prior to designating a standard as an ANS.
While the outcome is not binding, unless binding provisions are agreed to by the developer, participants are encouraged to develop a consensus on whether and how the standards development project should proceed. See also 4.3.
2.6 Consideration of views and objections
Prompt consideration shall be given to the written views and objections of all participants, including those commenting on the PINS announcement or public comment listing in Standards Action.
In connection with an objection articulated during a public comment period, or submitted with a vote, an effort to resolve all expressed objections accompanied by comments related to the proposal under consideration shall be made, and each such objector shall be advised in writing (including electronic communications) of the disposition of the objection and the reasons therefor. If resolution is not achieved, each such objector shall be informed in writing that an appeals process exists within procedures used by the standards developer. In addition, except in the case of Audited Designators, each objection resulting from public review or submitted by a member of the consensus body, and which is not resolved (see definition) must be reported to the ANSI BSR.
When this process is completed in accordance with the written procedures of the standards developer, the standards developer may consider any comments received subsequent to the closing of the public review and comment period, or shall consider them in the same manner as a new proposal. Timely comments that are not related to the proposal under consideration shall be documented and considered in the same manner as submittal of a new proposal. The submitter of the comments shall be so notified.
Each unresolved objection and attempt at resolution, and any substantive change made in a proposed American National Standard shall be reported to the consensus body in order to afford all members of the consensus body an opportunity to respond, reaffirm, or change their vote.
7 Although a 60-day public comment period is not required in all instances, a number of provisions in the ANSI Essential Requirements, when read in combination, satisfy the WTO’s 60-day rule. Before adopting a standard, ANSI-Accredited Standards Developers shall allow a period of at least 60 days in total for submission of comments on the draft standard if requested by an interested party within the territory of a Member of the WTO. Exceptions outlined in the rule are permitted due to issues of safety, health or environment. (See WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), Annex 3 Code of Good Practice for the Preparation, Adoption and Application of Standards (CGP) Substantive Provision L.)
