Singapore Standard 578
Manases Blakemore
The Singapore Standard Industrial Classification (SSIC) is the national standard for classifying economic activities undertaken by economic units and is used in censuses of population, household and establishment surveys and in administrative databases. The SSIC adopts the basic framework and principles of the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC). It is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect significant changes in the structure of the Singapore economy and the emergence of new activities as well as to align with changes in international standards.
Singapore Standard (SS) specifies the standards used for industrial activities in Singapore. The standardization process is coordinated by Singapore Standards Council,[1] administered by Enterprise Singapore, a Governmental body.
The Singapore Standards Council was initially administered by SPRING Singapore. This role was superseded by Enterprise Singapore in 2018 after the merger of SPRING Singapore with International Enterprise Singapore.
As the national standards body, Enterprise Singapore administers the Singapore Standardisation Programme through an industry-led Singapore Standards Council. The Council approves the establishment, review and withdrawal of Singapore Standards and Technical References. It also advises Enterprise Singapore on the policies, strategies, initiatives and procedures for standards development and promotion.[2]
Singapore Standards are nationally recognized documents, established by consensus. They are functional or technical requirements in the form of specifications for materials, product system or process, codes of practice, methods of test, terminologies and guides.
Technical References (TR) are transition documents developed to help meet urgent industry demand on a particular product, process or service in an area where reference standards are not available. Unlike Singapore Standards, TRs are not gazetted and are issued without the consensus process. They are prestandards 'tested' over two years before assessment on their suitability for approval as Singapore Standards. TRs can, therefore, become Singapore Standards after two years, continue as Technical References for further comments, or be withdrawn.[3]
EnterpriseSG participates in several international and regional fora such as the Pacific Area Standards Congress (PASC), Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Sub-Committee on Standards & Conformance (APEC SCSC), ASEAN Consultative Committee on Standards & Quality (ACCSQ), and Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC). Our role on these global platforms helps strengthen the Singapore brand and reduce technical barriers for market access.
The Singapore Standards Council (SSC) facilitates the development, promotion and review of Standards and Technical References in Singapore. This work is done through partnerships with the industry, academia and government organizations, under the national standardization program overseen by Enterprise Singapore.
Singapore is a member body of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and a member body of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) through the IEC National Committee of Singapore. To strengthen its linkages with industry, EnterpriseSG works closely with SSC, which comprises standards partners or experts from the private and public sectors.
SSC also promotes the use of international standards. Singapore Standards (SSs) are developed when there are no suitable international standards. Where relevant, standards developed by regional organizations such as the European Committee for Standardization, national standards bodies such as the British Standards Institution, and other standards development organizations, such as ASTM International, are also adopted as SSs.
Accredited test reports or certificates from foreign Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) are recognized locally if they bear the ILAC and IAF MRA marks as well as the accreditation body mark of the originating country. In addition, SAC was appointed as the Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) Compliance Monitoring Authority in Singapore. In January 2010, Singapore became a Mutual Acceptance of Data (MAD) adherent member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This means that GLP studies conducted in Singapore for the health and safety assessment of chemicals will be accepted in more than 40 OECD and non-OECD member countries. In October 2010, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) formally recognized SAC for the ENERGY STAR Programme.
EnterpriseSG publishes SSs by announcement in the Government Gazette (Welcome (egazette.com.sg). Technical regulations are developed by the relevant government bodies regulating a specific sector or area. For example, for certain categories of household electrical and gas appliances, they are under the Consumer Product Safety Office of EnterpriseSG; for medical devices, the Health Sciences Authority; for building and construction, the Building and Construction Authority; and for telecommunications, the Info-communications Media Development Authority. Companies from the United States are advised to approach these agencies to participate in the consultation process in the development of technical regulations. A list of these agencies can be found on gov.sg Ministries (sgdi.gov.sg).
Notify U.S., operated and maintained by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) since 2003 to distribute and provide access to notifications (and associated draft texts) made under the WTO TBT Agreement for US stakeholders, has reached its end of life. Per obligation under the TBT Agreement, each WTO Member operates a national TBT (and an SPS) Enquiry Point. National TBT Enquiry Points are authorized to accept comments and official communications from other national TBT Enquiry Points, which are NOT part of the WTO or the WTO Secretariat. All comment submissions from U.S. stakeholders, including businesses, trade associations, U.S domiciled standards development organizations and conformity assessment bodies, consumers, or U.S. government agencies on notifications to the WTO TBT Committee should be sent directly to the USA WTO TBT Inquiry Point. Refer to the comment guidance at for further information. This guidance is provided to assist U.S. stakeholders in the preparation and submission of comments in response to notifications of proposed foreign technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures.
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The Green-e Renewable Energy Standard for Singapore ("Standard for Singapore") allows Green-e Energy certification of renewable energy products throughout Singapore, in order to accelerate the development of renewable generation and renewable electricity markets, and to provide consumers a meaningful mechanism through which they can express demand for renewable electricity. The Standard for Singapore includes sections on:
The Terms of Reference document for the Standard for Singapore lays out key issues the Standard for Singapore addresses, including market value, sustainability, comparison to and compatibility with other existing relevant standards, implementation risk and how to address such risk.
The Green-e Renewable Energy Standard for Singapore ("Standard for Singapore") details Green-e Energy requirements for certification of renewable electricity sales and consumption in Singapore. The Standard for Singapore is a Regional Standard under the Green-e Framework for Renewable Energy Certification. Developed in consultation with local stakeholders, the Standard for Singapore allows electricity users to purchase and support high-quality renewables to accelerate the development of renewable generation and renewable electricity markets in Singapore.
Corporate demand for renewable electricity in Singapore has continued to grow much faster than renewable capacity growth on the island. With many large local and multi-national consumers and very finite land space, the government and buyers have started looking for ways to reliably obtain renewables from within Singapore and the greater region, while numerous renewable energy tracking systems look to bring renewable energy certificate options to the market.
The Singapore Standards Council and Enterprise Singapore, together with the National Environment Agency and Energy Market Authority, have launched the new Singapore Standard (SS) 673: Code of Practice for Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) on 26 Oct 2021.
SS 673 is meant to provide guidance on the REC ecosystem in Singapore by setting rules for REC tracking systems that will offer REC retirements for Singapore load. The standard covers issues related to the administrative, measurement, reporting, and verification functions performed by tracking systems, such as generator registration and verification, avoiding double registration, account types, REC transfers and retirements, public reporting of RECs, and metering.
While SS 673 is a voluntary standard, not a national law or requirement, it is likely that tracking systems wishing to serve the Singapore market will conform to these rules, helping to standardize how RECs are issued, tracked, and retired.
The standard also does not directly set rules for renewable energy sellers and buyers. However, it does set rules on renewable resources that may be tracked, discusses procurement types and provides recommendations on consumer renewable energy claims.
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