It was a time of videocassette recorders (VCRs) and Walkmans and the first Apple Mac. The household appliance trade was booming and everyone wanted a Crock-Pot. The 1980s were also a time of growing international trade and an era where economic policy-making was becoming more market-friendly. This resulted in rising numbers of electrical products being sold across borders, increasing the need to ensure they were safe and tradeable. This is why, in 1985, the IEC Conformity Assessment System for Electrotechnical Equipment and Components (IECEE) was born.
“Globalization and international trade were huge driving forces,” says Executive Secretary for IECEE Wolfram Zeitz. “As manufacturers increasingly wanted to access global markets, they needed a system that harmonized the hundreds of different requirements across countries. The IECEE Certification Body (CB) scheme provides that, with the potential for one test and one certification to cover worldwide requirements.”
A few facts and figures
Now, forty years on, IECEE has grown to be one of the world’s most recognized and trusted multilateral certification systems based on international standards, delivering more than 120,000 certificates each year. Its CB scheme comprises 596 testing laboratories with more than 15,000 manufacturers using it.
Members of IECEE include 53 participating countries and 94 national certification bodies (NCBs) that use the principles of mutual recognition and reciprocal acceptance of test results to obtain certification or approval at national levels around the world. This means that manufacturers and consumers can be assured certified products meet the requirements of international standards and are thus safe and performant. Trade barriers caused by different certification criteria in different countries are thereby reduced.
A trip down memory lane
IECEE’s roots stem way back to 1926 when the world was grappling with the installation of electricity and electrical equipment and there was a need for a harmonized view to ensure its safety and functionality. Following World War II, it was reborn as a European conformity assessment system, CEE. Recognizing the reach and power of IEC International Standards in the sector, CEE joined forces with the IEC in 1985 to create IECEE.
IECEE was born out of a market need, and it is a principle that has guided its evolution ever since, says Conformity Assessment Operations Manager Tara Mitchell, who has been with the organization since its offices were relocated to the IEC in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2000. “The rate of technological change has given rise to a greater need for trusted products, so we are constantly in touch with industry experts and policymakers to ensure we can offer the services that the market needs.”
Moving with the times: solar PV panels
This meant expanding its remit to specific industry programmes, such as that for solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, introduced in 2003, which offers access to qualified testing laboratories for the certification of PV components and modules in accordance with the relevant IEC Standards. IECEE PV certificates demonstrate that all the elements and components are designed, manufactured and tested according to IEC International Standards, which means they will comply with quality and safety requirements worldwide. They provide manufacturers of PV installations with a simple and reliable way of identifying the components that will allow them to build high-quality PV products and systems.
From batteries to energy efficiency and cyber security
Other programmes followed, including one for batteries, which tests for their safety, performance, component interoperability, energy efficiency, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and hazardous substances; the Electrical Energy Efficiency (E3) programme to support industry efforts to develop energy-efficient products as well as adding categories of standards such as electric vehicles and industrial automation.
Functional safety is another more recent area of work, essential to smart manufacturing as is cyber security. The IECEE cyber security certification programme looks at industrial automation and operational technology using the IEC 62443 series. To complement this, IECEE has recently included a European Telecommunication Standards Institute (ETSI) standard in the programme to support Internet of Things (IoT) connected devices. The programme aims to provide a way for manufacturers to cut through the increasing number of national regulations and schemes around cyber security, particularly those working in different jurisdictions, dealing with international trade and managing supply chains.
Looking to the future
Chair Simon Barrowcliff says that while the CB scheme and testing and certification for the 23 categories of electrical and electronic products remained the core of its business, IECEE has consistently been exploring new fields of activity where there is a need. “The demand for third-party certification is still as strong as ever, particularly in a world where trust is sometimes hard to come by,” he volunteers.
“But we are agile enough to expand our services to stay relevant. An example of this is the new Certification of Personnel Competence (CoPC) scheme with its first competence area aimed at supporting safety in the manufacturing industry.” Based on ISO/IEC 17024, the scheme offers certification bodies for personnel competence (CBPCs) the ability to assess the competency of those working in various industry sectors to ensure they have the necessary skills and knowledge to use, manage, repair, maintain or interact with machinery in a safe way.
It also provides the industry with a reliable benchmark of what is considered “competent” across the world. For manufacturing, this will include aspects such as management, design of installations, equipment selection, inspection, maintenance and repair. While the scheme will start with certification related to machinery safety, it is intended that other competence areas will be added according to market needs, with functional safety and cyber security already identified.
Barrowcliff says it is people and their expertise that have been behind the success of IECEE. “Over the last 40 years we have had a continuous flow of expertise into the system thanks to our strong network of experts across the world,” he explains. “What’s more, our governance structure, which includes peer assessment and mutual recognition, ensures certificates and test results can be relied on, as it is in everyone’s interest for the system to work effectively. With our growing reach and recognition, IECEE has grown into a trustworthy way to ensure safety and reliability, which is no mean feat in an increasingly globalized world,” he concludes.
Author: Catherine Bischofberger
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a global, not-for-profit membership organization that brings together 174 countries and coordinates the work of 30.000 experts globally. IEC International Standards and conformity assessment underpin international trade in electrical and electronic goods. They facilitate electricity access and verify the safety, performance and interoperability of electric and electronic devices and systems, including for example, consumer devices such as mobile phones or refrigerators, office and medical equipment, information technology, electricity generation, and much more.
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Great read, Catherine! Your article provides a comprehensive and insightful overview of the IECEE’s role in ensuring safety and trust in the solar PV panel industry and beyond. I particularly appreciate how you connected its historical roots to its modern-day relevance—very engaging! One suggestion would be to include more real-world examples or case studies of companies benefiting from IECEE certifications; it could help readers better grasp its practical impact.