Joining nations 1947-1990

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the first Chairman of both Commission VII and ISO/ TC 44 was Mr A Leroy was a guarantee that liaison would be effective and so it has remained, Mr M Evrard occupying the corresponding positions at the time of writing. At different periods Commission VII and the subse– quent Select Committee have also collaborated with other stan– dardizing bodies, notably ISO/ TC l l (Unification of Boiler Codes) and the International Electro-Technical Commission on subjects of mutual concern. Following an early agreement between IIW and ISO, ISO/ TC 44 has been represented by an observer at meetings of Commission VII and the Select Committee on Standardization, while the latter have appointed IIW observers on relevant ISO Committees and Sub– Committees, thus ensuring a full understanding by both bodies of the motivation and activities of each of them. Commission VII was originally responsible for creating the basis of collaboration between IIW and ISO and subsequently it and the Select Committee have been the channels of communication between the two bodies. The 'assistance in the formulation of international standards' has been provided by a number of the Commissions working in areas where industry requires the existence of interna– tional standards. The fact that, in 1988, some 35 current ISO stan– dards were based on drafts prepared by the Commissions of the IIW provides a measure of the extent of this assistance. It is not surprising that, with such a record of collaboration over a long period of time, the ISO should have endorsed the IIW as a body equipped to prepare draft standards, thus indirectly recognizing the quality of the work of the Commissions whose activity is the main justification for the Institute's existence.