Standardsettere

Standardsettere is a term used in Norwegian to describe individuals, organizations, or bodies that create and publish standards intended to ensure compatibility, safety, quality, and interoperability across products, services, and systems. They operate within formal standardization ecosystems that include international, regional, and national bodies, as well as industry consortia and government regulators. Major international standardsettere include ISO and IEC (often jointly coordinating as ISO/IEC), with regional bodies such as CEN, CENELEC, and ETSI; national bodies include Norsk Standard (Standard Norge) in Norway, ANSI in the United States, and BSI in the United Kingdom. The work typically follows a formal process: proposal of a new standard, drafting by technical committees, public consultation, voting by member bodies, and publication. Standards are periodically reviewed and revised to reflect advances in technology, market needs, and safety considerations.

Standardsettere seek to balance the interests of industry stakeholders, consumers, regulators, and researchers. They rely on consensus-building, transparency, and evidence-based input. Compatibility testing, conformity assessment, and certification schemes often accompany published standards to verify compliance. Some standards achieve de facto status through broad market adoption even without formal endorsement.

Critics argue that standardization can be slow, may entrench incumbent players, and occasionally hinder innovation or create regulatory fragmentation across jurisdictions. Proponents respond that standardization reduces uncertainty, lowers barriers to trade, enhances safety, and enables interoperability.