Standards are an integral part of society and are present in nearly everything that surrounds us on a daily basis; they shape how products are designed, produced and used. They are in all products that cross borders and can play a key role to reduce technical barriers to trade as well as integrate key sustainable aspects directly into the product conception and compliance. Lack of standards, multiplication of standards or standards which are too restrictive can disrupt trade flows. It is crucial to ensure that the standards are applied in a consistent and harmonized manner.
During the UNECE Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (RFSD) the Working Party on Regulatory Cooperation and Standardization Policies (WP.6) organized a side event on 6 April to showcase the importance of standardization to achieve the SDGs 4, 5 and 17 (three of the key themes of the 2022 RFSD) and reflect on the necessary next steps towards a sustainable future. The full recording of this meeting is available on the UNECE YouTube channel.