SAMR Mandates Strict Enforcement of the 24-Month National Standard Development Timeline

On December 31, 2024, SAMR/SAC issued a notice titled “Notice on Strict Management of National Standard Development Timelines” requiring strict enforcement of the policy that national standards must be developed within a maximum of 24 months.

Key Points of the Notice:

Defined Development Timelines:

The development cycle for mandatory standards should generally not exceed 24 months, and for recommended standards, 18 months. If an extension is needed, applications must be submitted 30 days in advance. Extensions for mandatory standards are capped at 12 months, while recommended standards are limited to 6 months.

Strict Timeline Management:

Starting January 1, 2025, project timelines will be managed automatically via the National Standards Development and Revision System. Projects exceeding the timeline will be automatically frozen, and the responsible technical committee will lose operational access.

Support for Key Projects:

Projects designated as priorities by the Central Committee of the CPC and the State Council will receive enhanced oversight. If such projects exceed the timeline, written explanations must be provided, and approval is required to lift the freeze. For projects with slow progress, the SAMR Standards and Technology Department will issue official reminders.

Regulation of Project Termination and Re-establishment:

Projects automatically frozen for exceeding the timeline will undergo review, and termination notices will be published. Terminated projects will generally not be eligible for re-establishment. In cases where re-establishment is necessary, a detailed justification must be submitted, evaluated by experts, and no repeat funding support will be provided.

Enhanced Tracking and Outcome Utilization:

Starting January 1, 2025, the completion status of project plans will be tracked and analyzed, with results ranked. The evaluation outcomes will inform the assessment of the technical committee’s performance. Measures such as suspension of standard project approvals or revocation of technical committees will be applied to underperforming technical committees.

Policy Implications:

This stringent timeline management approach aims to prevent delays, ensuring that national standards are updated promptly to meet market and societal demands. However, standard-setting inherently involves achieving consensus, which may require significant time, particularly for complex issues. While fixed time limits can expedite consensus-building, questions remain about whether the resulting standards will adequately meet societal and user needs and whether their implementation will achieve the desired outcomes.