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CSA Group Envisions a Single North American Component Mark

Toronto, ON – Rob M. Griffin, President and CEO of CSA Group, presented CSA Group's vision to create a single North American Components Mark at the Council for Harmonization of Electrotechnical Standards of the Nations of Americas (CANENA) Council meeting held in Mérida, Mexico in early 2003.

Mr. Griffin outlined a vision and solution that includes one Standard, one Test and one North American Components Mark. He proposed a public “North American Mark” web site containing a registration list of components covered by harmonization under CANENA, along with test data that would be to be administered through a coalition of certifiers.

"A single North American Components Mark is in the best interest of all stakeholders - certification organizations, regulators, manufacturers, retailers and consumers," said Rob M. Griffin. "CSA is committed to achieving a solution on behalf of its customers as they are frustrated at the extra cost and time required to test components already certified by accredited organizations. This double-testing done by other main certification organizations creates unnecessary roadblocks for an open and competitive marketplace.”

Several years ago, CSA took the lead on this issue and established a policy to accept components certified by other accredited organizations without re-testing and followed-up with the First North American Electrical Component Forum in December 2002. "Our goal is to eliminate unnecessary testing for customers when its final products are being certified," added Mr. Griffin.

CSA Group is an independent, not-for-profit membership association serving business, industry, government and consumers. CSA Group consists of three divisions: Canadian Standards Association which develops standards and helps people understand and apply them through information products and seminars; CSA International which provides testing and certification services for electrical, mechanical, plumbing, gas and a variety of other products. For more information on CSA Group visit www.csagroup.org.

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