Standards News
【Standards Focus】Five Minute Quick Understanding of Group Standards Related Knowledge
日期：2025-08-28阅读：75
1 The Legal Status of Group Standards
The new Standardization Law has, for the first time, incorporated group standards into the legal framework. Depending on the standard-setting entities, standards can be classified into national standards, industry standards, local standards, group standards, and enterprise standards. Among them, national, industry, and local standards are government-led, while group and enterprise standards are market-driven. Group standards are voluntary in nature.
2 The Purpose of Carrying Out Group Standardization Work
Through the cultivation and development of group standards, a new standard system can be established in which government-led standards and market-driven standards develop in a coordinated and complementary manner. This will help improve a unified, coordinated, and efficient standardization management system featuring government–market co-governance, and form a standardization framework characterized by government guidance, market-driven forces, social participation, and coordinated advancement.
3 The Main Differences Between Group Standards and Recommended Standards
Group standards are market-driven standards and represent the most dynamic and innovative component of the new standard system. They are independently developed by social organizations, oriented toward market and innovation demands, and are either agreed upon by group members or voluntarily adopted by society in accordance with the provisions of the group.
Recommended standards are government-led standards, including recommended national standards, industry standards, and local standards. Compared with group standards, they place greater emphasis on public welfare and fundamental principles.
Group standards and recommended standards are important components of China’s standard system. Advanced and leading group standards that demonstrate effective implementation and require nationwide promotion can be converted into national or industry standards in accordance with the prescribed procedures.
4 Differences and Connections between Group Standards and Enterprise Standards
1. A group standard is a standard formulated and issued by a legally established social organization according to its own standard-setting procedures, and is either agreed upon by the members of the organization or voluntarily adopted by society in accordance with the organization’s regulations.
2. Enterprise standards are formulated by an enterprise itself as needed, following the enterprise’s relevant procedures, and are approved and issued by the enterprise’s legal representative or the competent leader authorized by the legal representative.
3. It should be noted that a standard developed in the name of multiple enterprises or in the name of an alliance formed by agreements among multiple enterprises (which has not been legally registered) is an enterprise standard, not a group standard.
4. Group standards and enterprise standards belong to the category of standards independently developed by the market.
5 Management System for Group Standardization Work
The Plan for Deepening the Reform of Standardization Work, issued by the General Office of the State Council, stipulates that no administrative licensing is required for group standards. These standards are independently formulated and released by social organizations and industrial technology alliances through market competition. The standardization authority of the State Council, together with relevant departments, formulates guidelines for the development of group standards and codes of good conduct in standardization, providing necessary regulation, guidance, and supervision for group standards.
6 How does a group standard make a self-disclosure statement
Article 20 of the "Regulations on the Administration of Group Standards" encourages social organizations to self-declare and disclose through the standard information public service platform, which includes: the National Group Standard Information Platform (http://www.ttbz.org.cn) and the group standard Formulation and revision public service platform (http://www.ttstd.cn).
The disclosed standard information includes the name, number and other information of the group standard. Where a group standard involves a patent, information about the patent involved in the standard shall also be made public. Social groups are encouraged to disclose the full text or main technical content of their group standards.
7 Current Legal and Regulatory Requirements for Group Standards: How to Make a Self-Disclosure Statement
1. The technical requirements of group standards shall not be lower than those of relevant mandatory standards and shall not contravene the state’s relevant industrial policies.
2. The state encourages social organizations to develop group standards that exceed the relevant technical requirements of recommended standards.
3. The formulation of group standards should facilitate the scientific and rational use of resources, the promotion of scientific and technological achievements, the enhancement of product safety, universality, and replaceability, the improvement of economic, social, and ecological benefits, and be technologically advanced as well as economically reasonable.
4. The use of group standards to obstruct the free flow of goods and services, or any other acts that exclude or restrict market competition, is prohibited.
8 Whether the Entities Responsible for the Formulation, Revision, and Abolition of Group Standards Must Be Consistent
The entities responsible for the formulation, revision, and abolition of group standards should be consistent.
9 Requirements for the Issuing Body of Group Standards: Can Charitable Organizations and Foundations Issue Them?
The entities that formulate group standards are social organizations, such as societies, associations, chambers of commerce, federations, and industrial technology alliances, which are established in accordance with the Regulations on the Administration of the Registration of Social Organizations and registered with the Ministry of Civil Affairs. Social organizations not registered under these regulations, including charitable organizations and foundations, are not permitted to issue group standards.
1. Group standards are generally issued by the organizations that formulate them, such as societies, associations, chambers of commerce, federations, and industrial technology alliances, following certain procedural requirements.
2. Industrial technology alliances that are not registered with the Ministry of Civil Affairs may have relevant societies, associations, chambers of commerce, or federations issue group standards on their behalf, in accordance with the prescribed procedures.
3. According to the Regulations on the Administration of the Registration of Social Organizations, charitable organizations and foundations are not considered social organizations, and therefore cannot formulate or issue group standards.
10 Whether Social Groups can Jointly Issue Group Standards
The Regulations on the Administration of Group Standards encourage social organizations to engage in cooperative group standardization and to jointly develop or issue standards. Group standards issued jointly may indicate this with dual numbering on the cover or provide relevant details in the preface.
11 The Main Contents of Group Standardization Work by Social Organizations
1 In accordance with the requirements of the Standardization Law of the People's Republic of China and other relevant laws and regulations on group standards, establish the organization and mechanism for standardization work of the social organization;
2 Organize the formulation, revision and implementation of group standards;
3 Coordinate with standards issued by relevant social groups and national and industry standards, etc.
4 Promote the active participation of stakeholders in group standardization work;
5 Promote the internationalization of group standards;
6 Provide services in standardization.
12 At Least Several Units Should Participate in Drafting Group Standards
At present, there are no specific laws, regulations, or policy documents stipulating the number of drafting units for group standards; it is recommended that multiple units participate in the drafting process.
13 What is the Review Cycle for Group Standards?
The review period for a standard is generally no more than five years. If any patent information involved in the standard changes, the standard should be reviewed in a timely manner. The review can be conducted based on factors such as policy orientation, industry development, technological progress, and social demand.
14 Sources of Funding for Group Standardization Work
The sources of funding for group standards mainly include the social organization’s own special funds for standards, sponsorships, fundraising, or fees collected from users of the group standards in various forms, such as training, materials, or publications.
To encourage and support the research and development of group standards, government departments may provide supportive policies, including funding, for group standard-related work.
15 Process for the Release of Group Standards
The group standard release process includes, but is not limited to:
1. Approval by the decision-making body for standardization of the social organization;
2. Issuance of the group standard number;
3. Publication of the group standard announcement;
4. Public disclosure of information about the standard on the standard information service platform;
5. Publication and distribution of the group standard;
6.Archiving of the group standard project materials.
16 The Main Contents of the Announcement of the Group Standard
The main contents of a group standard announcement include: the name of the group standard, the standard number, the implementation date, the name of the social organization, and the release date. Social organizations may voluntarily choose whether to attach the announcement/notice (official government document) and the full text or main technical content of the group standard.
17 Good Practices in Group Standardization
According to the Regulations on the Administration of Group Standards, social organizations may voluntarily apply to third-party institutions for evaluation of good practices in group standardization. The evaluation shall be conducted in accordance with the national series of standards for group standardization (GB/T 20004), and the results of the evaluation shall be made public.
By evaluating good practices and publicly releasing the list of social organizations, benchmarks can be established to encourage social organizations to carry out standardization work with high standards and rigorous requirements.
18 Group Standards Can be Translated into National Standards, Industry Standards, or Local Standards
According to the Regulations on the Administration of Group Standards, if a group standard demonstrates good implementation results and meets the requirements for national, industry, or local standards, the issuing organization may apply to convert it into a national, industry, or local standard.
According to the Measures for the Administration of National Standards, group standards that are advanced, leading, demonstrate good implementation effects, and need to be promoted and implemented nationwide may, following the proper procedures, be converted into national standards.
