Russia increasingly focuses on common standards
Conclusion of the Russian-Austrian standardization summit at Austrian Standards in Vienna. ROSSTANDART’s President Elkin intends to raise contributions to important themes of international standardization.
Vienna (AS prm, 2011-11-03)
In its economic development, Russia gives more priority to European and International Standards, which was emphasized by top representatives of Russian business and state agencies at the international Russia:Austria Conference hosted by Austrian Standards in Vienna on 2 and 3 November 2011.
The reasons are that Europe is the most important trading partner of Russia on the one hand and standards are the common language of a globalized economy on the other hand.
- Credit: ASI prm
Similarly, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin announced in his talks with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in Geneva in May 2011 that Russia would intensify its involvement in world-wide standardization activities. As a result, Russia returns to international standardization, as Prof. Dr. Grigory Elkin, head of the Federal Agency for Technical Regulation and Metrology (ROSSTANDART), explained on Thursday in Vienna. A visible sign of this rising commitment is the fact that a Russian, Prof. Dr. Boris Aleshin, currently holds the function of ISO president – for the first time since 1968.
The new value attributed to international standardization in Russia is also reflected by the submission of comments on all draft international standards in 2010 in contrast to the previous policy of „passive“ observation. According to Professor Elkin, 473 Russian experts are actively involved in international standardization and 215 in electro-technical standardization (IEC).
In parallel, efforts are made to play a leading role in those fields of standardization that are particularly important for Russia. Among the main challenges to be tackled, Professor Elkin named the timely publication of new ISO standards in the Russian language and the need for more English-speaking experts in order to contribute more directly to standard development since standardization was an important tool for promoting modernization, innovation and improving productivity: „Standardization is a well-proven lobbying instrument for businesses. Those who are involved have the opportunity to outperform their competitors.“
- Credit: ASI prm
Emblematic conference
In his address to around 100 conference participants, ISO President Dr. Boris Aleshin stressed the leading role of Austria as a trading partner of Russia and an international hub in economic relations: „Austria’s enterprises and government made an important contribution.“
The recent election of DDr. Elisabeth Stampfl-Blaha, Deputy Managing Director of Austrian Standards, to the function of ISO vice-president was „a significant sign of appreciation by the international standardization community.“
- Credit: ASI prm
Russia’s Ambassador to Austria, Sergey Nechayev, spoke about a new „era“ in the relations between Russia and Austria against the backdrop of the modernization partnership between the two countries laid down in May 2011 and the fact that Austria was the first country that entered into an intergovernmental co-operation agreement with regard to the high-tech development centre Skolkovo, the planned Russian „Silicon Valley“, that currently covers 30 Austrian companies.
- Credit: ASI prm
The Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP) plays a crucial role in the current efforts to reform technical regulations, as was reported by Vice-President Andrey. N. Lotsmanov. RSPP represents around 20,000 companies accounting for roughly 60 percent of Russia’s gross domestic product.
Mr Lotsmanov: „Entrepreneurs have realized that standardization is an efficient weapon in the market and a prerequisite of innovation and success.“ This was the reason why the state and industry made a high and rising financial contribution. Additionally, companies were able to get a tax deduction for the costs incurred in connection with their involvement in standardization.
- Credit: ASI prm
Univ.Prof. DDr. Walter Barfuss, President of Austrian Standards, stressed in his speech that Austrian Standards was aware of the high value of Austria’s relations to its Eastern European neighbours and Russia – also beyond standardization. This was highlighted, inter alia, by the creation of the function of the Eastern Europe and Russia officer by the Presidents Group a few months ago, which is held by former Vice-President KommR Ing. Franz Bamberger who has ample business experiences and contacts in Eastern Europe.
A bridge between ideas and innovations
In his message read by President Barfuss, Austrian Economic Minister Dr. Reinhold Mitterlehner stressed that standards build a „bridge between ideas and real innovations.“ He explained that this was an important step for fostering co-operation and partnership in the world-wide development and application of standards on the one hand and for clearly showing the opportunities that open up for successful economic co-operation with the help of International Standards.
Minister Mitterlehner explicitly stated: „Thanks to the commitment, know-how and negotiation skills of domestic experts as well as the experiences and professionalism of Austrian Standards, Austria is a well-respected and welcome partner. The Russia:Austria Conference highlights this once again. It is a contribution to further strengthening the relations between Russia and Austria for the mutual benefit of both countries.“
In a similar vein, Dr. Christoph Leitl, President of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, described standards as an „indicator of innovative and technological performance“ in his address. He also underlined that „a further approximation of standardization at the international level, too, reduces barriers to trade and thereby promotes trade relations. The dialogue with the Russian standardization partners shows that Austria and Russia are moving in the right direction together.“
