The IEC is a standards body that prepares standards for electronic and electrical systems and can also test conformity to those standards. It was formed in 1906 in London following discussion between the British Institute of Electrical Engineers (IEE) and the American institute of Electrical Engineers (now known as the IEEE). In 1948 its headquarters was moved to Switzerland.
Its first job was to define terms and definitions covering electrical machinery and apparatus, a list of international letter symbols for quantities and signs for names of units, an international standard for resistance for copper, a list of definitions in connection with hydraulic turbines, and a number of definitions and recommendations relating to rotating machines and transformers.
To read more about the formation of the IEC, a short history can be found here.
The IEC works closely with other standards bodies around the world including ISO, ITU, IEEE and others.
