II. Guidelines for WGNA Activities
- All Proposals and Investigations Should Cover Only Subject Matter for Which Standardization is Appropriate - The purpose of any standard must be legitimate, reasonable and in the public interest. The WGNA will limit its proposals and investigations to technical matters that facilitate interoperability, and not seek to promote standardization of sale, license or other commercial terms.
- Procedures for Adopting Proposals and Areas of Investigation Will be Open and Unbiased - Many antitrust challenges to activities such as contemplated by the WGNA result from individual members or groups of members taking action to co-opt the process for their own gain or to injure a competitor. Thus, the WGNA will endeavor to ensure that all potential competitors that may be affected by a proposed action be given the opportunity to participate in the process, and that the process include representatives from various constituencies both upstream and downstream. This will include advertising the objectives and intended activities of the WGNA to the public, providing timely and adequate notice to members of the initiation and development of any proposal, allowing for careful consideration of all views and objections and, where appropriate, multiple proposals, and maintaining careful records.
- Specifications and Proposals Must be Voluntary in Nature - Specifications and proposals should in all cases be voluntary, and there must be no agreement, express or implied, to adhere exclusively to such specifications or proposals or regarding when and under what terms members will offer particular products conforming to a particular specification, proposal, or standard.
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