ISO/MoU Agreement

Memorandum of Understanding

Between IULTCS and ISO on cooperation in the development of standards associated with the testing of tanned leather and tanning products.

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This Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is made and entered into by and between IULTCS (International Union of Leather Technologists and Chemists) and ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and relates to the cooperation between the two organizations in the development of International Standards and other ISO deliverables (e.g. Technical Specifications) relating to the determination of certain properties and characteristics of leather.

WHEREAS, with the continuing worldwide trade in leather and leather goods, including an increasing importance of such trade to developing countries, it remains important to all parties to have common test methods and procedures available to measure and compare the properties of these products

WHEREAS in Council resolution 19/1984 ISO Council established the status of “international standardizing body” together with preconditions for recognition of such a bodies and procedures for the adoption as ISO standards of international standards developed by such bodies,

WHEREAS it was established by Council resolution 9/1990 that the IULTCS is recognized by ISO as an international standardizing body due to it satisfying the preconditions established in Council resolution 19/1984

WHEREAS Council resolution 14/2001 endorsed the partnerships established at that time, including the partnership with IULTCS, and that ISO Technical Management Board resolution 40/1996 had previously confirmed the success of the established standards development procedures

WHEREAS, IULTCS provides a unique forum, through its Testing Commissions, to bring together technical experts from around the world in order to establish common testing procedures

NOTING that the IULTCS remains prepared to allow its standards to be accepted as ISO standards in accordance with the ISO rules, as outlined in Council resolution 19/1984 and since up-dated in subsequent editions of the procedures for the technical work of ISO (ISO(/IEC Directives, Part 1), as well as to release the copyright on relevant documents

Now THEREFORE, the parties hereto mutually agree to re-confirm Council resolution 9/1990 by the establishment of this Memorandum of Understanding as the successor to the original working agreement, as follows:

  1. IULTCS and ISO agree to work towards the harmonization of leather testing procedures with the objective of achieving dual numbered/dual logo (ISO and IULTCS) ISO deliverables. IULTCS and ISO agree to identifying their joint involvement in the development of a particular standard through such indications as both numbers (ISO and IULTCS) appearing on each page of the published document. IULTCS and ISO agree to protect the integrity of those ISO deliverables derived from their technical cooperation and to affix the universally recognized copyright symbol © on the inside cover, followed by the name of ISO, together with the following statement: © ISO 200xx
  2. IULTCS and ISO will aim to avoid the duplication of work by combining resources to address standards issues associated with leather testing procedures, thus allowing expertise to be focused and used in an efficient way to the benefit of international standardization.
  3. Subject to their respective rules and procedures, and within the limits of their responsibility and available resources, IULTCS and ISO will share with each other relevant information. Where it has been determined that a new International Standard or other deliverable is required, when an IULTCS standard exists and there is no equivalent or similar ISO standard it will be taken as a basis for joint work, and vice versa when an ISO standard pre-exists.
  4. Subject to their respective rules and procedures, and within the limits of their responsibility and available resources, IULTCS and ISO will facilitate active participation and substantive contribution to each other’s relevant meetings, appropriate workshops, seminars, working party or expert group meetings addressing standards issues associated with leather testing procedures.
  5. The establishment of a new work item for ISO/IULTCS harmonization shall result from a decision approved by IULTCS in accordance with its own procedures. Once such a decision has been approved, all existing work on similar active project, within either Organization, should be halted and merged to the harmonized effort. If in the course of its own consultation either IULTCS or ISO procedures do not approve the harmonized new work item proposal, or later any draft being progressed in the context of an approved work item, the other Organisation reserves the right to continue to work separately under its normal procedures.
  6. ISO/IULTCS deliverables shall not be published until IULTCS and ISO have both provided their approval. IULTCS and ISO both recognize the Intellectual Property Rights value associated with the ISO/IULTCS standards.ISO retains the right to diffuse and distribute the ISO/IULTCS deliverables.Diffusion and distribution by IULTCS of ISO/IULTCS deliverables will be in accordance with jointly agreed guidelines. ISO retains the right for its national members wishing to adopt these ISO/IULTCS standards as their national standards without owing any fee or other charge to IULTCS.
  7. Standards having dual-designated status between IULTCS and ISO shall not be revised without the approval process as described in point 5. The revision of these standards shall be undertaken only if a parallel investigation conducted within each Organisation, according to its own internal procedures , sufficiently demonstrates that problems exist that need to be resolved. In case both Organisations do not reach the same conclusion on the need to revise a standard, each Organisation may decide to revise the standard unilaterally (in which case the resultant standard will not be dual-designated).
  8. Where a harmonized ISO/IULTCS standard or other deliverable is published by ISO, IULTCS will endorse that publication for direct use by IULTCS members and will not publish its own version of the harmonized standard.
  9. In order to sustain the harmonization process, IULTCS may reference normatively ISO standards without the specific permission of ISO. Furthermore, IULTCS may incorporate into the IULTCS standards or codes, any relevant harmonized technical provisions specified in an ISO/IULTCS standard without the specific permission of ISO. In both cases, IULTCS shall notify ISO in due course and prior to publication of the relevant standard or code.
  10. This Memorandum of Understanding shall enter into force upon signature and shall remain in force three years from the date of the last signature unless terminated earlier by either party upon three month written notice. This MoU shall be reviewed on a three year basis and modified as necessary to enhance the cooperative relationship between the two organisations.