World Development Report 2025: Standards for Development highlights the relevance of standardization and the economic context of Latin America
The World Development Report 2025: Standards for Development, published by World Bank Group, provides a comprehensive overview of the importance of standardization as a development tool. The report underscores that the adoption of technical standards increases firm productivity, reduces transaction costs, facilitates integration into global value chains, and supports public policies in areas such as health, education, environment, and technology.
In the economic context of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), recent projections from multilateral institutions indicate moderate economic growth in 2025, with expected rates of around 2.3%, reflecting structural challenges and a less dynamic external environment compared to other emerging regions. This growth rate remains below historical averages for middle-income economies globally, highlighting room for gains in competitiveness and the strategic application of standardization.
By comparison, many emerging economies that effectively incorporate technical standards into their development strategies tend to demonstrate higher levels of integration into global production chains. The WDR 2025 states that the adoption and adaptation of standards — including within national regimes of certification, metrology, and conformity assessment — constitute an essential institutional component for overcoming market barriers and fostering productivity.
In the case of Brazil, although macroeconomic projections indicate growth similar to the regional average (around 2.4% in 2025 according to recent estimates), the strategic use of technical standards may enhance the competitiveness of industrial and technology sectors, creating opportunities to improve export quality and attract productive investment.
Full report – World Development Report 2025 available at:
