IEC Background
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is the international body that prepares and publishes International Standards for all electrical and electronic technologies, including lighting products.
IEC Publications
The IEC produces two categories of publications:
International consensus products
- International Standards (full consensus)
- Technical Specifications (full consensus not yet reached)
- Technical Reports (information different from an IS or TS)
- Publicly Available Specifications
- Guides (non-normative publications)
Limited consensus products
- Industry Technical Agreement
- Technology Trend Assessment
Structure of the IEC
The IEC Council is the general assembly of IEC Members, and each member is known as a National Committee. The IEC Council sets policies and strategic direction and delegates the management of all IEC work to the Council Board.
Standardisation Management Board
The Standardisation Management Board (SMB) manages standards and the committees who write them, and typically meets at least three times each year. Industry Sector Boards report to the Standardization Management Board and advise on technical priorities and the continuing relevance of IEC standards. Note that there is not currently an Industry Sector Board for lighting.
Technical Advisory Committees
There are three Technical Advisory Committees for Safety, Electromagnetic Compatibility and Environmental Aspects. These committees facilitate horizontal co-ordination and inclusion of relevant requirements in IEC standards.
Technical Committees
Standards writing is done by Technical Committees (TCs). The technical committee for lighting is TC 34 - Lamps and Related Equipment. Please visit IEC Lighting Committees for more information on this technical committee.
For more information on the structure of the IEC, please visit the IEC website.