China Tightens GMP Rules For Medical Device Manufacturers Effective November 2026

The National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has revised China’s Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) requirements for medical devices, introducing stricter quality management system rules that will take effect on November 1, 2026 and replace the current 2014 version.

FSC Introduces Interim Forest Stewardship Standard for South Africa’s Natural Forests

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has introduced an interim standard for South Africa’s natural forests, setting clear rules for responsible forest management and certification from July 1, 2026.

India Invites MSMEs to Join Healthcare Standards Committees

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is inviting micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to join technical committees in its Medical Equipment and Hospital Planning Department (MHD), opening the standardization process to a wider range of industry participants. 

Vietnam Draft Standard Sets Clear Metrics for Online Public Services

The Commission for Standards, Metrology and Quality of Viet Nam (STAMEQ) has introduced a draft national standard for online public services that defines how user experience will be measured using specific indicators.

AI Certification and CBAM Featured in March Accredia Letter

The Italian Accreditation Body (Accredia) has released the March edition of its Accredia Letter, highlighting key developments in accreditation, certification, and regulatory updates.

Dutch Healthcare Information Security Standard Updated to Align With ISO 27799

The Royal Netherlands Standardization Institute (NEN) has published an amendment to NEN 7510-2 to align it with ISO 27799,

ANSI Outlines Implementation Plan for U.S. Standards Strategy 2025

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has outlined how it will move the U.S. Standards Strategy 2025 (USSS) into implementation,

TIC Industry Conference in Beijing Focuses on Trust, Restructuring, and Global Standards Role

The China Quality Certification Center (CQC) hosted the 2026 annual conference on testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) in Beijing on March 26, focusing on strengthening trust, supporting trade, and guiding industry transformation.

JB International Achieves BCI Good Cotton Certification

The Taiwan branch of JB International Co., Ltd. has achieved Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) certification, completing system setup and external verification to align its cotton sourcing with international sustainability requirements. 

ISO 37001 Transition in Poland Clarified for Certified Organizations

The Certification Center for Quality (CCJ) explains how organizations certified to ISO 37001, the anti-bribery management systems standard (ABMS),

Lubimar First Certified Under Unified ASC Farm Standard

Lubimar, a seabass and seabream farm in southern Spain, has become the first to be certified to the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) Farm Standard.

Japan Names 2026 Recipient Of RQES And JSA Chairman Award

The Robust Quality Engineering Society (RQES) has named Hiroyuki Narahara of Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech) as the recipient of the 11th RQES and Japanese Standards Association (JSA) Chairman’s Award.

IVECO Group Updates Customer Requirements for IATF 16949 Suppliers

IVECO Group has updated its Customer Specific Requirements (CSRs) for organizations certified to IATF 16949, setting new expectations for how suppliers manage quality, testing, sustainability, and supply disruptions.

Public Consultation Opens on Revised FSC Chain of Custody Standards

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has opened a public consultation on the revision of its Chain of Custody standards, with comments accepted until January 25, 2026.

ISO/DIS 9001 Approved with Overwhelming Global Support, Reports SIS

The Swedish Institute for Standards (SIS) reports that ISO member countries have approved the Draft International Standard ISO 9001:2026 with 97 percent voting in favor,

First Global Standard To Measure Pharmaceutical Impact: PAS 2090 Launched

The UK’s national standards body BSI has published the first global standard for measuring the environmental impact of medicines.

GLOBALG.A.P. Recognizes Eight Schemes in 2025 Benchmarking Round

Eight agriculture and floriculture schemes have secured recognized status as GLOBALG.A.P. benchmarked schemes for 2025, giving producers accepted ways to meet market requirements without duplicate audits.

First ISO/IEC 5259-3 Certification for AI Data Quality Management Published

AI Clearing has become the first organization to earn certification under ISO/IEC 5259-3, the new international standard for managing data quality in artificial intelligence (AI) systems.

GFSI Opens Applications and Extends Deadline for BMRs v2024

The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) has opened applications for the Benchmarking Requirements Version 2024 (BMRs v2024), the criteria used to evaluate and recognise food safety certification programmes worldwide.

PEFC Opens Consultation On Revised Project Sourcing Standard

The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) has opened a public consultation on its revised PEFC Project Sourcing standard, which is available for feedback until December 23, 2025.

Circular Design Process Aims to Transform the Global Textile and Fashion Industry

The global textile and fashion industry is under increasing pressure to reduce waste, improve material use, and meet new expectations from regulators and consumers.

Global Payments Shift to ISO 20022 in a Move to Improve Data Quality

Banks worldwide have completed the shift to the ISO 20022 payments standard, following SWIFT’s cutoff of older message formats on November 22.

ISO 10993-1 Update Raises Biological Safety Expectations for Medical Devices

The new ISO 10993-1:2025 from ISO brings substantial changes to how manufacturers plan and justify the biological safety of medical devices.

IFS Publishes New Guideline to Support Wholesale and Cash & Carry Audits

IFS has released a new guideline to help companies prepare for audits under the IFS Wholesale and Cash & Carry 3 Standard.