Membership

Affiliation categories

The group of TSPN’s members and partners is diverse and encompasses multilateral organizations, bilateral donors, technical assistance providers, standard related NGOs, research institutes, private standard setters, and others.

There exist various affiliation types to cooperate or collaborate with the TSPN:

• Core members Core membership is open only to non-profit organizations. Only core members can be part of the Steering Committee governance structures established for the TSPN, except for regional and/or national organizations representing developing countries. For all rights and responsibilities of core members see "Affiliation Criteria" below.
• Associate members For profit organisations with the same rights and responsibilities as core members, except the option to become representative of the Steering Committee.
• Individual members For individual persons working at the operational level in institutions engaged in the standards field, whose institutions are not a member or partner of the TSPN. Individual members have the same rights and responsibilities as other members and partners.
• Partners For institutions which are in their status - e.g. governmental bodies or networks - unable to become a member under another network’s umbrella.  Partners liaise continually with the TSPN and have the same rights and responsibilities as members, except the option to become a representative of the steering committee.

Affiliation Criteria

All affiliated entities or individuals, being core or associate members or partners, have the same rights and responsibilities, as laid down in the charter:

1. Commitment to the mission of the TSPN;
2. Commitment to designating one or more individuals to become actively engaged with the TSPN;
3. Ability and willingness to contribute to attaining TSPN objectives through sharing institutional knowledge, implementation experiences, and participation in TSPN sponsored projects and activities;
4. Contribution of content to the website www.TradeStandards.org;
5. Willingness to make financial and/or in-kind contributions to the TSPN;
6. Proposing activities and products to the TSPN.

Further, the role of members includes the following activities:

1. Implementing activities approved in the TSPN work plan;
2. Raising funds for the TSPN;
3. Representing TSPN at external events in coordination with the Secretariat;
4. Participating and leading Technical Groups.

Affiliation Procedure

Applications for membership and partnership shall be submitted directly to the TSPN secretariat that will assess potential members and partners based upon the affiliation criteria. Final approval of affiliation applications will be conducted by the steering committee.

By adding the applicant entity or individual to the TSPN Members/Partners page at www.tradestandards.org, it/he or she will be recognized as affiliated to the TSPN. To be added to TradeStandards.org, the applicant should fill in the affiliation form you find at the bottom of the page and submit it as a scanned copy or in hard copy to the TSPN Secretariat.

Additionally, descriptions of projects which the entity is running or financing can be attached. Please see the other member and partner pages on tradestandards.org for reference.

Finally, the applicant needs to indicate up to three contact persons. The primary contact person is the entity’s representative (or individual person) at TSPN meetings and the main contact for the TSPN Secretariat. The secondary contact person is listed at the partners/members page and may be contacted by interested visitors to the webpage. A third contact person is the responsible person for providing contents on www.tradestandards.org and may be contacted.

Affiliation Form (pdf)