ASTM International will host Ms. Patricia Castro Espinoza from the Instituto de Defensa de la Competencia y de la Protección de la Propiedad Intelectual (INDECOPI), the national standards body of Peru, this month as part of their Standards Expert Exchange Program (SEEP).

Castro Espinoza is responsible for the management and coordination of the national technical committees in Peru and also participates in several national, regional and international standardization issues. INDECOPI was created in November 1992 to promote fair and honest competition in the Peruvian economy as well as to protect all forms of intellectual property.

SEEP is a component of ASTM's Memorandum of Understanding Program (MOU) program, which promotes communication between ASTM International and national standards bodies worldwide. The program facilitates the development of national standards that will aid each country's health, safety, environmental and economic conditions. Since signing an MOU with ASTM International in 2003, INDECOPI has adopted, adapted or referenced more than 600 ASTM standards.

As part of SEEP, standards experts from MOU countries participate in an intensive one-month training program at ASTM headquarters in West Conshohocken, Pa.  During this time, they learn about ASTM, its standards and development process, observe the process in action by attending technical committee meetings, visit both federal government agencies and U.S.-based standards development organizations in Washington, D.C., and share information about their work and their home organization.

Release #8057/Sept08