ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the issue of quality standards and to demonstrate that the concept is not new, summarises some of the historical facts on quality. It shows that standards and certification procedures have been around for a long time. The chapter provides an overview introduction to the standards of the International Standards Organization (ISO) and discusses the need for such standards not only in the European Union, but also in the United States and world markets. The standards were developed by the International Organization for Standardization, a Geneva, Switzerland, organization founded in 1946 to promote the development of international standards and related activities, including conformity assessment to facilitate the exchange of goods and services worldwide. ISO is composed of nearly 200 technical committees and its members are from over 90 countries, with the US member being the American National Standards Institute.
