 London in October 1946. It has now grown to TAG 6 Medical equipment (joint TAG with IEC) standards bodies from close to 100 countries. ISO is a non-treaty organisation, based in Geneva, and a body of TAG 7 Information technology applications the United Nations. Its technical work is done by about 3000 TAG 8 Building technical bodies and 2000 working groups. It has published over TAG 9 10000 international standards and drafts. Distribution of goods The prime aim of the ISO is to promote the development of TAG 10 Image technology international standardisation in order to facilitate international trade TAG 11 Safety in goods and services. It also aims to develop world-wide co-oper- ation in scientific, technological and economic matters. The ISO mainly works in the Information Technology area whilst its sister 6. Technical Committees (TCs), which are established by the organisation, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Council. Every ISO member who is interested in its field of is involved in standards for Electrical and Electronic engineering. work can take part in its activities. The Technical Committees set up Sub Committees (SCs) and Working Groups (WGs). Technical Committees are allocated a number to differentiate 22.3.4.2 ISO structure them, starting with the number 1 in 1947. When a committee completes its work and is dissolved its number is not re-used. Membership of the ISO is primarily made up of national standards About 200 committees have been established so far. making bodies, such as ANSI (USA), BSI (UK) and DIN (Ger- 7. A Central Secretariat, consisting of a Secretary General and many). Members can be active or participating, designated as 'P' staff, who are based in the same location as ISO, in Geneva, members, or they can be corresponding members or observers, Switzerland. designated as 'O' members. 'P' members take the lead on technical committees or subcommittees. The telecommunications equivalent of the ISO is the CCITT. All standards developed by ISO are published as Internationa