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ISO Committee on Consumer Policy (COPOLCO)

Why in News?
India is hosting the 44th edition of the coveted annual ISO COPOLCO Plenary from 23-26 May 2023 in New Delhi.

About the ISO COPOLCO Plenary

• The ISO COPOLCO Plenary is an event organized by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the national standards body of India.
• It is a significant event with a global impact on the economy and people’s lives.
• The event brings together representatives from ISO member countries to discuss and strategize the acceleration of standards development worldwide.

About the Committee on Consumer Policy (COPOLCO)

• The Committee on Consumer Policy (COPOLCO) is a committee of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• Its primary responsibility is to promote consumer interests in the standardization process and ensure that standards are developed considering the needs of consumers.
• COPOLCO consists of ISO members who represent various countries.

Objectives of COPOLCO

• Study ways to help consumers benefit from standardization and improve consumer participation in national and international standardization.
• Provide a platform for exchanging information on consumer participation in developing and implementing standards in the consumer field.
• Advise the ISO Council on consolidated consumer viewpoints regarding ISO’s standardization and conformity assessment work.
• Advise the ISO Council on the need for new or revised policies or actions within ISO to address consumers’ needs.

About the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

• ISO is an independent and non-governmental international organization that consists of members from national standards bodies of 168 countries.
• The Central Secretariat of ISO is located in Geneva, Switzerland.
• India is one of the founding members of ISO, demonstrating its early commitment to international standardization.
• ISO develops and publishes standards that have a global impact across various sectors, including business, industry, technology, and social domains.