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 Frequently asked questions
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 Standardization
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| Does standardization have history ? [top] |
The industrial revolution and the development of international trade of different products, in particular those manufactured on a large scale, has brought about a major problem of product's compatibility, interchangeability and fitness for use to be mostly used / consumed far away from where they were designed or manufactured.
This situation gave rise to a need to set up common rules recognized by manufacturers, producers and countries to make trade and use of these goods easier. These rules, established at the beginning by some companies and administrations, have been developed gradually to become standards. Their elaboration method and procedures are part of what is commonly known as standardization.
However, standardization as a well defined activity was organized during the 20 th century; it has started in England since 1901 and in France since 1918.
On the international level, IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) was created in 1906 and ISA (international federation of the national standardizing associations) in 1926 which became in 1947 ISO (International Organization for Standardization). As for Codex Alimentarius (a mixed committee WHO/FAO dealing with food standardization on the international level), it was created in 1962.
In Tunisia, the standardization activity started within different ministerial departments and took off as a specific activity in 1982, when of INNORPI by virtue of the law n° 2009-38 relating to natinal system of standardization. |
| How to elaborate Tunisian standards ? [top] |
The elaboration, approval and publishing of standards are carried out in compliance with Tunisian regulations in force, with the established procedure and with international agreements mainly those of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) (appendix 3).
Standards are elaborated and approved within technical committees of standardization set up by INNORPI and covering all sectors of economic activities.
For more details on standards elaboration, click on standardization activity . |
| How to buy a Tunisian standard ? [top] |
Standards orders shall be addressed to INNORPI.
You can order by phone, fax, e-mail or by mail. Phone orders must be confirmed by e-mail or fax. To avoid any error of delivery, the standard reference mentioned in the Tunisian standards catalogue should be specified.
Phone +216 71 806 758
Fax +216 71 807 071
E-mail innorpi@planet.tn
Address INNORPI - Rue 8451 n° 8 par la rue Alain Savary, BP 57 - Cité El Khadra - 1003 Tunis - Tunisie
Working hours from Monday to Friday :
8 :30 a.m. to 12 :00 13:30 p.m. to 17:00 (UTC+2) |
| What is a standardization program ? [top] |
The standardization program is drawn up by INNORPI, as a fulfillment of the overall directives of the minister of industry. In so doing, the Institute uses the economic information made available to it, as well as opinions, suggestions and applications submitted by public, professional and inter-professional bodies or by any other qualified body.
INNORPI publishes every year the standardization program in its official bulletin , and updates it at least once every six months.
This program gives useful information on the first draft standards underway. |
Certification
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| What does certification mean ? [top] |
When a product, service or system is declared by the relevant authority as complying with the requirements of the appropriate standard, a certificate is granted to testify this conformity. |
| What should be known about ISO 9000 [top] |
ISO has been developing voluntary technical standards over almost all sectors of business, industry and technology since 1947.
The vast majority of ISO standards are highly specific to a particular product, material, or process. However, ISO 9000 is known as generic management system standards
The ISO 9000 series is a set of international standards and guidance documents for quality management developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
Strictly speaking, “ISO 9000” is the catalogue number of one of the standards in this series. But since this standard describes the fundamental principles that are the basis for the other documents, the term “ISO 9000” is often used to refer to the series as a whole.
“Quality management” is the practice of ensuring customer satisfaction by consistently meeting customer expectations. The ISO 9000 series provides organizations with a set of tools for determining customer needs and expectations, establishing goals and targets for meeting those expectations, evaluating how well those goals and targets are being achieved, and continuously improving performance.
The series does not provide specific quality indicators or describe ways of achieving them, since these will be different in every situation. Instead, the documents provide generic frameworks and general principles that can be applied to any organization of any size, in any industry.
The series includes documents dealing with fundamentals and vocabulary, quality management systems, auditing and performance improvements. |
| What is a quality management system ? [top] |
Management system refers to what the organization does to manage its processes, or activities. In a very small organization, there is probably no "system", as such, just "our way of doing things", and "our way" is probably not written down, but all in the head of the manager or owner head. The larger the organization, and the more people involved, the more the likelihood that there are some written procedures, instructions, forms or records. These help ensure that everyone is not just "doing his or her own thing", and that the organization goes about its business in an orderly and structured way, so that time, money and other resources are utilized efficiently.
To be really efficient and effective, the organization can manage its way of doing things by systemizing it. This ensures that nothing important is left out and that everyone is clear about who is responsible for doing what, when, how, why and where.
Management system standards provide the organization with a model to follow in setting up and operating the management system. This model incorporates the features on which experts in the field have reached a consensus as representing the international state of the art. A management system which follows the model - or "conforms to the standard" - is built on a firm foundation of state-of-the-art practices.
In brief, the quality management system specifies and sets the policy and targets of an organization. It allows in addition the documentation and the fulfilment of the required procedure to achieve those targets. A quality management system ensures, by its smooth functioning, the unfailing implementation of established methods, the easy finding of problems and their resolutions, the review and continual improvement of methods, products and services. It’s a mechanism of keeping and improving the products and services quality which allows definitely to meet customer tacit or expressed needs and even to reach the fixed quality targets.
ISO 9001 “quality management systems – requirements” states the basic characteristics of a quality management system ISO 9000. |
| Why is ISO 9000 so popular ? [top] |
The standards in the ISO 9000 series are easily the best known of the more than 14,000 standards-related documents published by ISO. Why is the series so widely applied? There are a number of reasons.
One important factor is the generic nature of the standards. While they were originally developed for the manufacturing sector, they have since been modified in order to be applicable to any size organization in any sector. Service organizations, small businesses and government agencies account for a significant proportion of ISO 9000 registrations.
Many businesses and governments require their suppliers to apply ISO 9000. This helps to ensure that the products, components or services that they receive will consistently meet their needs.
Because the standards are recognized and applied around the world, customers can be confident that suppliers who use ISO 9000 will consistently meet their quality assurance requirements, whether they are located across the street or across the ocean. As a result, the ISO 9000 standards play an important role in facilitating international trade.
In addition to satisfying the demands of their customers, many organizations find that applying the standards also helps to improve their performance and cost-effectiveness. It also can make their products more appealing to potential new customers, or give them an edge over their competitors. |
| What is ISO 9000:2000 ? [top] |
Like all standards, the documents in the ISO 9000 series are periodically reviewed and revised to ensure that they continue to meet the changing needs of their users.
New versions of the three key standards in the ISO 9000 series were published on December 15, 2000. These new versions - known as ISO 9000:2000 or the "Year 2000" versions - will gradually come to replace the 1987 and 1994 versions currently in use around the world.
The new versions are intended to focus more clearly on continual improvement, be more process-based and business-oriented, provide a greater customer orientation. |
| What is ISO 9001:2000 ? [top] |
ISO 9001:2000, Quality management systems - Requirements, is the standard that outlines the essential characteristics of an ISO 9000 quality management system (QMS). It is used as the basis for QMS registration.
In the current version of the ISO 9000 series, ISO 9001 is a generic requirements standard, applicable to any type of organization. Previous versions of the series included three separate registration standards. |
| What's new in ISO 9000:2000 ? [top] |
Here's a summary of some of the principal changes in the ISO 9000:2000 standards:
The three registration standards from the previous versions have been integrated into a single standard.
To make it easier for organizations to use a QMS to improve productivity and performance, ISO 9004, Quality Management Systems -- Guidelines for Performance Improvements, has been extensively revised.
In recognition of the wide variety of organizations using the standards, the new version of ISO 9001 provides detailed guidance on which activities can be excluded from the scope of a QMS. These requirements take into account factors such as the nature of the organization's products and services, customer requirements or applicable regulatory requirements.
The concept of "continual improvement" is highlighted in the new version. Evaluating improvement, based on measurable criteria, is now an element in assessing the effectiveness of a QMS.
The structure of the standards is now process-oriented, so requirements and guidelines appear in a more logical sequence.
Organizations must now monitor customer satisfaction as part of the process of assessing their performance.
The revised standards place greater emphasis on the role of senior management in developing, implementing and maintaining a QMS.
The new series is intended to be more business-oriented and "user-friendly" than previous versions. |
| Who may apply for product certification? [top] |
The product certification is a service provided to any natural or legal person, fulfilling the admissibility criteria. |
| What are the types of organisations concerned with ISO 9000 ? [top] |
The ISO 9000 series is applicable to all types of companies. The first version published in 1987 focused on manufacturing, but the modification made to the 1994 version was meant to include service companies as well. The series was improved again in 2000.
To have more information on the ISO 9000-2000 standards and their application, you may visit the ISO web site .
The designing and implementation of a quality system based on the ISO 9000 series depend on the company’s needs, objectives, products and services as well as its practices and adopted processes. The requirements of any quality system do not replace the specified technical requirements (of products) but complement them. In other terms, the products and services provided by companies which comply with the requirements of a quality system shall also comply with the standards relating to said products and services. |
Industrial property
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| What is a trademark ? [top] |
A trademark is a distinctive sign which identifies certain goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. Its origin dates back to ancient times, when craftsmen reproduced their signatures, or "marks" on their artistic or utilitarian products. Over the years these marks evolved into today's system of trademark registration and protection. The system helps consumers identify and purchase a product or service because its nature and quality, indicated by its unique trademark, meets their needs. |
| What is an invention ? [top] |
Any invention, which is a product or a manufacturing process, can be protected by a patent.
The patent is granted for new inventions involving an inventive activity that may be applied in manufacturing |
A patent is a title deed granted to the owner with a temporally exclusive right to exploit his invention. |
| What is an industrial design ? [top] |
An industrial design/pattern is the ornamental or aesthetic aspect of an article.
The industrial design is any feature or ornament applied to an article to create an original decorative effect.
The industrial pattern may consist of any shape associated or not with lines or colours, so that this association appeals to the eye and gives a special appearance to the industrial or handicraft product. |
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