In 2001 the IEC forged ahead with putting into action the strategies spelled out in Masterplan 2000. The principal issues in this document are:

• improving market perceptions of the IEC;
• expanding industry involvement and participation in IEC work;
• making IEC conformity assessment and certification more global;
• maximizing the efficiency of IEC work;
• tailoring processes to products.

Each of these issues requires that clear goals be set and specific strategies be enacted to achieve them. 2001 saw the beginning of this effort and this will serve as a foundation for future work. In the coming years, full attention will be given to each of these issues to ensure that the IEC continues to remain a responsive and dynamic partner for the market.

Several initiatives began to be formulated in 2001, but are expected to see fuller development in the years to come. First among these is a proposal for a mechanism to facilitate global adoption of IEC standards by including essential regional and national differences in IEC standards, in cases of differences in legal and regulatory requirements or differences in technical infrastructures or differences in climatic conditions. The Standardization Management Board is now working on implementation procedures.

Finally, the IEC is now proposing to make English its sole business language. In essence, this means all administrative documents will be published in English only, and English will be the operating language during meetings. This proposal is contained in the IEC’s Statutes and Rules of Procedure, which are now in revision.