The U.S National Committee (USNC) of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) serves as the focal point for U.S parties who are interested in the development, promulgation, and use of globally relevant standards for the electrotechnical industry. The USNC is also engaged in the assessment of conformance to standards, undertaking work in areas such as testing, certification, and accreditation.
As the U.S. representative to the IEC and many related regional standardization bodies, the USNC serves as a conduit to the global standards-setting community for technical and policy positions arising in the U.S. In this capacity, the USNC brings issues from the global arena to the U.S. for review, consideration, and response. In the IEC the USNC operates via Technical Advisory Groups (TAGs), comprising volunteer experts working collaboratively to develop U.S. positions on technical issues under consideration within IEC technical committees.
The USNC is a totally integrated committee of ANSI. ANSI provides administrative support to the USNC and its more than 4,000 U.S. managerial, engineering, scientific, and professional participants. ANSI also provides the fiduciary framework by which the USNC’s financial obligations are met, including the payment of annual dues to the IEC.
Coordinate the effective participation in the development of IEC standards and conformity assessment systems to facilitate trade and to promote global safety, efficiency, reliability, and interoperability in the fields of all electrotechnologies. Provide a framework for USNC stakeholders to advocate for U.S. interests in international and regional electrotechnical-related matters.
This organizational chart illustrates the organizational structure of the USNC, with its own membership and governance and oversight committees, and their relationship to ANSI membership and governance and advisory groups. Click on the links below for more information on each.
The USNC Council coordinates the U.S. involvement in the IEC and other electrotechnical bodies associated with the IEC. The main focus of the Council is to manage policy and strategic issues and to improve the overall effectiveness of the USNC’s interface with the IEC.
The Council interfaces, via the USNC President, with the IEC Council and Council Board (CB). The current representation of Council represents industry, trade associations, standards developing organizations, professional engineering societies, and government agencies.
The USNC Council has established and oversees the following USNC Standing Committees:
The main focus of the USNC Technical Management Committee (TMC) is to manage the technical work of the USNC and to represent the interests of the U.S. at the Standardization Management Board (SMB) level in IEC. The committee is chaired by the USNC Vice President – Technical, and meets 3 times each year prior to the meeting of IEC/SMB. The TMC reports to the USNC Council.
The USNC Conformity Assessment Policy Coordination Committee (CAPCC) coordinates USNC positions on electrotechnical conformity assessment (CA) matters and representing the interests of the U.S. in the IEC. The committee is chaired by the USNC Vice President – Conformity Assessment, who is also the U.S. representative on the IEC Conformity Assessment Board (IEC CAB). The CAPCC meets 3 times each year at the USNC Management Meetings. The CAPCC reports to the USNC Council.
The USNC has four mirror committees for each IEC Conformity Assessment System. These USNC CA Systems report directly to the CAPCC and develop and coordinate U.S. positions on relevant CA matters.