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Underwriters Laboratories applauds Commerce Department's pro-active approach to standards activities

NORTHBROOK, ILL., May 19, 2004 - Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL), the not-for-profit product safety testing and standards-writing organization, today commended U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Donald Evans for his department's efforts to address standards-related issues that create trade barriers for U.S. industries.

Secretary Evans released "Standards and Competitiveness - Coordinating for Results," the Commerce Department's yearlong study of such issues, yesterday in Washington, D.C.

"We appreciate the recognition that the secretary and his staff have given to the vitally important role that standards and conformity assessment play in the operation of the global marketplace," said Joe Bhatia, executive vice president for International Operations at UL. "It is time for these issues to be elevated and addressed in a more pro-active way. The report is an important step in this regard."

The report provides a comprehensive overview of standards development activity in the United States and notes "[P]ublic, formal standards development in the United States began as a private-sector enterprise, with strong government participation and support, over 100 years ago." UL celebrated its 100th anniversary as a standards development organization in 2003.

The report provides an overview of the myriad of ways in which the Commerce Department and other U.S. federal agencies conduct standards-related activities. Additionally, the report details numerous recommendations for enhancing the department's internal capabilities to address standards issues, improve outreach to the private sector and coordination with other U.S. government agencies, as well as undertake concerted actions relative to the international standards arena.

"We look forward to continuing to work closely with Commerce Department staff as they move forward to implement many of these recommendations that involve collaboration with the private sector," commented Robert Williams, director of Global Standards at UL. "We are particularly gratified at the attention that the report pays to trade policy," Williams added.

"UL believes that national treatment for conformity assessment organizations is the most effective approach to eliminating many trade barriers that emerge from technical regulations and standards," Bhatia noted, adding that "this would enable certification services for customers to be bundled and streamlined in a way that facilitates market access in multiple markets."

The Commerce Department conducted 13 roundtables to obtain private sector input into the Assessment. UL presented comments at both the Standards and Conformity Assessment roundtables.

Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) is an independent, not-for-profit product safety certification organization that has been testing products for more than 110 years. UL tests more than 18,850 types of products annually, and more than 19 billion UL Marks appear on products each year. Worldwide, UL's family of companies and its network of service providers include 60 laboratories, and testing and certification facilities. UL has developed product safety standards for more than 100 years, and maintains roughly 876 of them.

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