NATO Council agress to set up new Alliance Standardization Organization

On 18 January the NATO Council agreed on a new NATO Standardization Organization. It comprises a new NATO Committee for Standardization, composed of high level national representatives, an internal NATO Headquarters Standardization Liaison Board, and an Office of NATO Standardization composed of existing, joint civilian and military NATO staff.

This new organization will give renewed impetus to
Alliance work aimed at improving the coordination of
allied policies and programmes for materiel, technical
and operational standardization. It will also
support the Partnership for Peace initiative by
addressing specific proposals for improved
standardization put forward by Partner countries.

In addition, the new Organization will promote closer
collaboration with International Civilian Standards
Organizations.

The new NATO Committee for Standardization will be
co-chaired by the NATO Assistant Secretary General for
Defence Support, Mr. Robin Beard, and by the Director of
the International Military Staff, General G.J. Folmer.
In their opinion the Council decision "underlined
the importance of improved standardization in the new
Alliance Strategic Concept, and in the establishment of
multinational forces to support peace-keeping, crisis
management and collective defence."

For further information please contact at NATO
Headquarters, Mr. Anton van de Grampel, tel:
int'l-32-2-728 45 46, or Colonel De Jongh Swemer, tel:
int'l-32-2-728 55 23.