Signing Follows Conference on Arab and U.S. Standards and Conformance

ASTM International has signed a memorandum of understanding with Emirates Authority for Standards and Metrology (ESMA), the national standards body of the United Arab Emirates. James Thomas, ASTM president, and Waleed Bin Falah Al-Mansouri, director general, ESMA, signed the MOU in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Oct. 13. The ASTM/ESMA MOU is the 62nd such agreement signed between ASTM and a national standards body.

The ASTM Memorandum of Understanding Program
Memorandums of understanding allow ASTM and national standards bodies to join together to achieve standardization goals for both organizations. The purposes of the MOU program are to promote communication between ASTM International and national standards bodies; to promote knowledge of each other's standards development activities; facilitate greater worldwide participation in the ASTM standard development process and facilitate the development of national standards that will aid health, safety, environmental and economic institutions. More information on the ASTM International memorandum of understanding program can be found on the global cooperation page of the ASTM International Web site (www.astm.org/GLOBAL).

Arab and U.S. Standards and Conformance Workshop
On the day of the MOU signing, James Thomas and Waleed Bin Falah Al-Mansouri participated in Arab and U.S. Standards and Conformance: Tools for Business and Regulation. The workshop, which was co-sponsored by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA) and the National U.S.— Arab Chamber of Commerce (NUSACC), highlighted international cooperation on standardization issues between U.S. and Arab stakeholders representing industry, government and academia.

Three workshop panels covered tools for business and regulation; petroleum and energy; and construction and engineering. Thomas spoke as part of the panel on petroleum and energy, detailing the role of ASTM International in activities specific to the Middle East and highlighting the ASTM technical committees that develop energy-related standards and that contribute to energy efficiency. Also on the same panel was Ubaidallah S. Alghamdi, president of Arabian Fuels Technology, and an ASTM member who provides ASTM Technical and Professional Training throughout the Middle East.

Release #8085/Oct08