China Opens Consultation on New Group Standards Rules

The Standardization Administration of China (SAC) has opened a public consultation on draft national rules for group standards, which are developed by industry associations and other social organizations rather than government agencies.

DAkkS Extends Flexible Accreditation Scopes Across All Activities

The German Accreditation Body (DAkkS) has expanded its flexible scopes system to all accreditation activities, allowing qualified conformity assessment bodies (CABs) to update their approved technical scope without prior approval for every individual change.

Cyprus Commitment Sets Common Direction for European Standardization

All 43 members of CEN and CENELEC have endorsed the Cyprus Commitment, setting a common direction for the future of European standardization and signaling unity during the ongoing revision of Regulation (EU) No. 1025/2012.

Belgium Adopts New VCA Contractor Safety Certification Scheme

The Belgian Accreditation Body (BELAC) announced that Belgium will adopt the VCA 2026/6.1, the updated contractor safety certification scheme, from July 1, 2026, with no transition period. 

Vietnam Develops Draft National Standard for Safe Vegetable Production

Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE) is developing a national standard (TCVN) for the production and primary processing of safe vegetables.

NEN Simplifies Safety Culture Ladder Questionnaire

The Netherlands Standardization Institute (NEN) has simplified the Self Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) used in the Safety Culture Ladder (SCL) certification process.

ISO/IEC 17043:2023 Transition Completed in Türkiye

Türkiye has completed the transition to TS EN ISO/IEC 17043:2023, with all 23 proficiency testing providers accredited to the previous edition of the standard successfully adopting the new requirements.

Connexia Wins Austria's 2026 State Award for Business Excellence

The Vorarlberg-based health care and social services organization connexia has won the 2026 State Award for Business Excellence, presented by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy and Tourism (BMWET) and Quality Austria.

Russian Standardization Week 2026 Set for October With New Award for Young Experts

The Russian Standardization Institute (RST) has announced that the Russian Standardization Week 2026 forum will take place in St. Petersburg from October 12–16.

Biotechnology Standards Fall Short of Industry Needs, ASCET Finds

The Advancing Standardization for Critical and Emerging Technologies Center of Excellence (ASCET) has released a new environmental scan identifying standards gaps and emerging priorities across the biotechnology sector.

RBA, SA8000 and SMETA Linked to Higher Scores in Taiwan Labor Agency Evaluations

Agencies that recruit migrant workers for employment in Taiwan can earn additional points in Ministry of Labor evaluations through certifications and social responsibility schemes such as RBA, SA8000 and SMETA.

Family Businesses Invited to Apply for Czech Quality Award

The Quality Council of the Czech Republic (RK ČR) has opened applications for the 2026 National Quality Award for Family Businesses, with submissions accepted until July 31, 2026.

ISO 37304 Compliance Management Certification Standard Advances to Final Draft Stage

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has advanced ISO 37304 to the final draft international standard (FDIS) stage.

One Vote Tips Toward New Edition Of ISO/IEC 17065 Over Amendment

One vote has tipped the decision toward publishing a new edition of ISO/IEC 17065 instead of issuing a separate amendment, following a closely split ballot within the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

Is ISO 25500 a Solution to Supply Chain Data Challenges?

ISO 25500, a draft series of standards from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), is presented by the Electronic Commerce Code Management Association (ECCMA) as a possible way to address long-standing problems with unreliable data across global supply chains.

IFS Updates Food, Logistics, Broker And Pacsecure Doctrines To Clarify Certification Rules

The International Featured Standards (IFS) has published updated doctrine documents for its current standards covering food production, logistics, brokerage, and packaging materials, clarifying how certification requirements should be applied without revising the standards themselves.

PAS 25535 on Sustainability in Asset Management Reaches Draft Stage

PAS 25535, a specification focused on integrating sustainability into asset management systems, has reached the committee draft stage within the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), marking the close of its initial comment period. 

ISO 9001 Revision Moves to FDIS Stage as Early Analysis Questions Scope of Changes

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has confirmed that the revision of ISO 9001 has entered the Final Draft International Standard (FDIS) stage, marking the last step before publication.

DIN to Lead ISO IEC Joint Technical Committee 5 on Digital Product Passport Standards

Following an initiative by the German Institute for Standardization (DIN) and the German Commission for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies (DKE),

ANSI/TIA-942 Addendum Targets AI Data Center Cooling and High-Density Needs

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) is developing a new addendum to the ANSI/TIA-942 data center standard to address the growing demands of artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.

IATF Introduces Mandatory Auditor Training for Corporate Scheme Audits

The International Automotive Task Force (IATF) has approved a new mandatory training module to strengthen how auditors assess organizations certified under corporate audit schemes for IATF 16949.

ISO/TS 19384 Sets First Standard for Digital Service Excellence

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has released ISO/TS 19384:2026,

FSSC Issues Five Sector-Specific Guides for Development Program Implementation

The Foundation for Food Safety Certification (FSSC) has published five sector-specific guidance documents to support organizations using the FSSC Development Program,

ISO 14001 Fourth Edition Officially Released

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has published ISO 14001:2026, marking the release of the fourth edition of the world’s most widely used environmental management systems standard.