STAMEQ Leaders Outline Vietnam’s Quality Decentralization Push

Vietnam is decentralizing responsibilities in standards, measurement, and quality so local authorities can respond faster to real needs and reduce administrative delays.

Work-Family Balance Guidelines Enter Public Consultation in Italy

Italy’s national standards body UNI has opened the public consultation for a new reference practice that aims to help organizations support parents and improve the balance between family and work life.

NIST Invites Comments on Guide Connecting Cybersecurity, ERM and Workforce Planning

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released the draft Special Publication 1308 2pd,

PKN Launches Survey To Shape Future SMART Standards

Poland’s national standards body, PKN,  has opened a short survey to collect user views on the planned shift toward SMART Standards, which aim to make standards easier to use through digital and machine-readable formats.

GORDIC GINIS Filing Service Earns First eSSL Certification in Czechia

The GINIS electronic filing service from GORDIC has become the first system in Czechia to earn eSSL certification.

TenPoint Manufacturing Corporation First in Asia To Earn FSSC 24000 Certification

TenPoint Manufacturing Corporation has become the first company in Asia to earn certification to FSSC 24000, a scheme that helps organizations manage social sustainability, improve labor conditions, and ensure responsible business practices.

Taprobane Seafoods First in Sri Lanka To Earn GlobalG.A.P. Aquaculture Certification

Taprobane Seafoods is the first company in Sri Lanka to earn certification to the GlobalG.A.P. Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) standard for aquaculture, following an audit carried out by DNV.

2025 Standardization Awards Recognize Key Contributions in Portugal

The Portuguese Institute for Quality (IPQ) held the 2025 Standardization Awards ceremony on November 26 at the Ricardo Fernandes Auditorium to recognize technical committees and experts who strengthen Portugal’s national standardization system.

First Iberian Standardization Meeting Highlights Digital Product Passport

The first Iberian Standardization Meeting, organized by the Portuguese Institute for Quality (IPQ) and the Spanish Association for Standardization (UNE), was held to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.

Accredia Opens Accreditation for IFS Wholesale and Cash & Carry Version 3

Italy’s national accreditation body, Accredia, has opened accreditation for certification under the IFS Wholesale and Cash & Carry version 3 standard,

Serbia Updates Accreditation Rules and Adopts Five-Year Cycle Amid Digital Shift

The Accreditation Body of Serbia (ATS) has introduced major changes as of December 1, 2025, driven by a wider digital shift that modernizes the accreditation system.

German Industry Groups Present Broad Reform Plan for National Accreditation

A wide alliance of German industry associations, laboratory organizations, and sectoral trade bodies has presented a future strategy to improve the national accreditation system, calling for simpler procedures, clearer responsibilities, and faster decisions.

Codex Commission’s 48th Session Confirms Updates Across Core Food Safety Standards

The Codex Alimentarius Commission adopted major changes to international food-safety rules during its 48th session in Rome from November 10 to 14.

ISO 13485 Application Guide, TS 23485, Under Way After Standard Confirmed as Current

A new guide on how to apply ISO 13485 is moving through development shortly after the standard was reconfirmed in its 2016 version (no revision will be done), despite remaining unaligned with the Annex SL structure.

A Different Approach: China Strengthens Oversight of Certification Bodies from 2026

China has issued new regulations that directly target accredited certification bodies that ignore international requirements, and the new rules will take effect on January 1, 2026.

ISO and IEC Develop Global Standard to Embed Ecodesign in Medical Devices

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) are developing a new global standard to formally integrate ecodesign into the development of medical devices.

IFS Releases Updated Guideline for Effective Foreign Body Management

International Featured Standards (IFS) has issued an updated Guideline for an Effective Foreign Body Management,

Germany Heads Most ISO Secretariats But China Rapidly Gains Ground

Germany remains the world’s top country in international standardization, holding 17.1% of all ISO secretariats, according to the 2025 International Standardization Barometer published by the German Institute for Standardization (DIN).

Europe Now Conditionally Accepts FDA Inspections Conducted Abroad

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have entered a new stage of cooperation under their Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) for Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) inspections.

New International Standard in Development for Microbial Cultures and Probiotics

Work has begun within ISO to create a global standard that defines how microorganisms used in food and feed, such as bacteria, yeasts, and fungi, should be characterized and quality assured.

BS 30480 Launched as the World’s First Standard on Suicide Awareness in the Workplace

The world’s first standard dedicated to suicide awareness and prevention in the workplace, BS 30480, has been released by the British Standards Institution (BSI).

IATF Updates GM Quick Reference Guide on How Auditors Review Scorecard Data.

The International Automotive Task Force (IATF) has issued an updated GM Scorecard Quick Reference Guide and Screen Images package to align with the latest Rules for Achieving and Maintaining IATF Recognition (6th edition).

GLOBALG.A.P. Gets New IT Platform for Certification and Transparency

GLOBALG.A.P. now operates on a new IT platform developed by Agraya GmbH together with its technology partner osapiens.

Standards Pavilion Expands at COP30 with Broader Coalition on Climate Policy and Finance

The Standards Pavilion has opened at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, where 21 international organizations are discussing how standards can support measurable climate action.