115 / 234
ISO/TC 44
ISO Council
Resolution 19/1984
Vienna Agreement
1991
IIW
International
Institute of Welding
CEN/TC 121
European Committee
for Standardization
Tripartite agreement between IIW, CEN and ISO
LINKING PEOPLE, JOINING NATIONS
on the development of international standards for resistance welding, where none existed
before. It was not until 1 December 1990 that the first ISO standard recommended by IIW
as an international standardising body was published, based on the work of Commission
II
Arc Welding
(ISO 10446:1990). A second IIW standard by C-III (ISO 10447:1990)
was published on 1 July 1991. There was some expectation that the IIW logo would be
incorporated into these two standards, as agreed with ISO, but this was unfortunately
omitted. These would be the last IIW standards produced for many years until 2000.
18
The relationship with CEN did cause conflict in the early deliberations
of SC-STAND and there was some concern also regarding the relationships
between IIW, CEN and ISO, since the CEN was focused more directly on
standards that were mandatory in Europe whereas IIW’s and ISO’s focus
was on the implementation of international standards.
This had the potential for complications and differences between standards.
Reportedly, it was agreed, unofficially, by all three standards authorities, to collaborate on
the development of welding standards. This was not to lessen the problems that IIW faced in
the preparation of standards that had to meet the exacting criteria imposed by ISO. Certainly
IIW did lack the requisite skills in writing standards to the ISO format and, despite ISO
granting a further three-year renewal period regarding IIW’s status as a standardising body,
the expectations that this would improve did not eventuate and no further IIW ISO standards
were produced in the interim.
Following the signing of the Vienna Agreement in 1991 a meeting was organised
to envisage a tripartite agreement between ISO, CEN and IIW.
19
In respect of the Vienna
Agreement, CEN negotiated much more favourable terms with ISO than IIW had earlier as