As companies expand their markets internationally, or merge across international boundaries, having one global standard becomes more and more important. These companies, used to selling to just one market, now find themselves selling to global markets. The standards for products in these markets are often different, which complicates manufacturing procedures. Local laws may require the use of a particular standard, yet these laws are viewed by the World Trade Organization (WTO) as technical barriers to trade, and WTO member countries are charged with reducing these barriers and other barriers to free global trade.

There are various international standards organizations, some established by formal treaties, and others by the private sector. The International Organization of Legal Metrology, which produces standards for devices that rely on measurement used for legal purposes, such as scales, is an example of an intergovernmental treaty organization. The signatories of the treaty have agreed to adopt its recommendations.

By contrast, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) are nongovernmental organizations whose standards are considered international, even though their member bodies are not bound by treaty to adopt them.

ISO, established in 1947, is made up of the national standards organizations of 140 countries, each with a single voting representative. IEC was founded in 1906 and national committees from more than 50 individual countries develop its standards. ISO currently has 185 technical committees with a wide variety of scopes; IEC has 88 committees, focused primarily on electro-technical issues.

The United States is represented in ISO and IEC by ANSI, which was founded in 1918 and comprises more than 700 company members, 30 government agencies, 20 institutions and 260 professional, technical, trade, labor, and commercial organizations. ANSI is the recognized U.S. member body to ISO and, through the U.S. National Committee, to the IEC.

However, although the United States participates in ISO and IEC, there are avenues other than through ISO and IEC for the development of international standards.

What makes a standard "international"? A standards development process characterized by openness, transparency, international participation and due process - principles that have been established by the World Trade Organization for international standards development, and principles that are inherent to ASME's standards development process; a record of success in meeting or a potential to meet global marketplace and safety needs - among ASME standards meeting this criteria are the Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, B31 Piping Codes, and the BPE Bioprocessing Equipment Standard; and the ability to maintain technical relevance of the standard.

In order to enhance international acceptance of its standards, ASME is focused on increasing participation of international stakeholders in its standards development activities so that the standards will reflect the needs of interested parties world wide. To this end, ASME has created several new options for membership on its committees that will facilitate the ability for international stakeholders to participate, including the Delegate position, which allows a group of interested parties outside the U.S. and Canada to contribute by meeting in their own country and discussing ASME standards issues in their native language.

Other approaches for development of international standards include adoption of, or normative reference to, the dominant standard; development of an umbrella standard that references other regional and national standards, or development of a global consensus standard from scratch.

No single standards system can satisfy the needs of all industries. Therefore, the stakeholders in each industry, or sector, must select the most appropriate path for development of standards that meet their needs.