Standards are vitally important to the effective worldwide trade of products and services; they guarantee that what is on offer is of an exact specification and quality. Companies that use standards can expect both lower business costs and risks and higher market presence
.
In the field of nanotechnology, the development of appropriate nomenclature and standards is still in its infancy, and fast progress is urgently required so as to avoid hampering the development and acceptance of nanotechnology-based innovation.
Several notable institutions have established dedicated technical committees that develop standards and norms in nanotechnology. These bodies operate:
- at the international level,
- at the regional level, and,
- at the national level.
So far over one hundred key vocabularies, as well as dozens of technical specifications and reports, have been produced. Nevertheless many more are needed, and active industry participation in the standardisation process is of the utmost importance in ensuring the best possible market conditions for nanotechnologies.
Support for NIA Members:
With its presence in standardisation committees at all different levels, NIA provides its members with specific support in Standards & Norms.
