DIN and international standardization
International standards
International Standards are developed by one of the three international standards organizations, ISO, IEC or ITU. DIN represents German interests within ISO, the International Organization for Standardization by sending delegations of experts to participate in ISO's working bodies ("national delegation principle").
International Standards are adopted in voting procedures, with each ISO member having one vote.
International Standards can be adopted as national standards - but unlike European Standards, national adoption is not obligatory.
The use of International Standards is voluntary.
To avoid duplication of work and to harmonize European and international standardization (where possible), ISO and CEN signed the "Vienna Agreement" in 1991. According to this Agreement, a standard can be developed either at international (by ISO) or European (by CEN) level and then adopted simultaneously as both an International and a European Standard by means of parallel voting.
