International standards are efficient and cost-effective tools for meeting public policy objectives, including those set forth by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Their use contributes to agile policy making, enhances transparency, predictability and accountability of the regulatory process and stimulates sustainable economic growth.

ISO provides guidance and training to national standards bodies on how they can better support their national regulatory process while fulfilling their international trade obligations and international best practices. The World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (WTO TBT) Agreement requires international standards to be used when developing technical regulations. Moreover, the OECD’s guidelines on regulatory practices encourage the use of international standards.

The project also raises awareness among policy makers of the value of standards and the importance of the standards development process, which helps to strengthen collaboration between standardizers and regulators.