SCC renews partnership with Brazil’s National Standards Body ABNT
The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) and the Associação Brasileira de Normas Técnicas (ABNT), the national standards body of Brazil, renewed their cooperation arrangement to advance international standards work between Canada and Brazil.
“Together, we’ve leveraged standardization to remove unnecessary trade barriers,” says Chantal Guay, CEO of SCC. “Sustaining our solid collaboration strengthens our ability to help our countries, and the global standards community, address evolving societal challenges in the years to come.”
SCC and ABNT first entered into a cooperation arrangement in 2018 to work together on regional engagement, international standards governance and support Canadian trade diversification priorities with Brazil as part of Mercosur. Negotiations for a possible free-trade agreement is ongoing between the Government of Canada and Mercosur countries – Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.
“Standards help fuel economic competitiveness,” says Mario William Esper, President of ABNT. “Our cooperation is important to promoting economic, social and environmental considerations in the production and commercialization of goods and services.”
The years-long collaboration between SCC and ABNT includes membership with the Pan American Standards Commission (COPANT).
Under the renewed agreement, both national standards bodies will continue promoting the value and benefits of standardization as well as uphold best practices in the development of standards. This includes prioritizing improvements in gender representation and the development of gender-responsive standards, consumer representation in standardization activities, engagement with Young Professionals and mutual support on ISO technical committees of interest.
About the Standards Council of Canada
Established in 1970 as a federal Crown corporation, the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) is Canada’s voice on standards and accreditation on the national and international stage. SCC works closely with a vast network of partners to promote the development of effective and efficient standardization that protect the health, safety and well-being of Canadians while helping businesses prosper. As Canada’s leading accreditation organization, SCC creates market confidence at home and abroad by ensuring that conformity assessment bodies meet the highest national and international standards. SCC advances Canada’s interest on the international scene as a member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) by connecting thousands of people to global networks and resources, opening a world of possibilities for Canadians and businesses.
About the Associação Brasileira de Normas Técnicas
ABNT is the only National Normalization Forum, recognized by Brazilian society since its foundation, on September 28, 1940, and confirmed by the Federal Government through various legal instruments. It is responsible for the elaboration of the Brazilian Norms (NBR), destined to the most diverse sectors. ABNT participates in regional standardization at the Mercosul Standardization Association (AMN), the Pan American Technical Standards Commission (COPANT) and in international standardization at ISO and IEC. Since 1950, it also works in the area of certification, serving large and small companies, national and foreign. It currently has more than 400 certification programs, aimed at products, systems and verification of greenhouse gases, among others. The company identifies in the ABNT Conformity Mark the guarantee that it is acquiring products and services in compliance, meeting the most rigorous quality criteria. ABNT Certificadora has a strong presence in the Americas, Europe and Asia, performing audits in more than 30 countries.