In 1966, England¡BFrance and Germany established a mutual certification system (Tripartite System) to promote the flow of trade among the three countries.

In 1970 member countries of the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) signed a treaty expanding the Tripartite System, and establishing the CENELEC Electronic Components Committee (CECC). At the same time, a set of specifications was adopted for use in mutual certification by all European nations. In January 1973, the CECC certification system was formally implemented.

The development of regional certification system caused concern in countries outside of Europe. it was feared that future trade barriers were being erected. In 1970, the United States suggested that the International Electro- technical Commission (IEC) organize a Quality Assessment System for Electronic Components (IECQ). In January 1982, after ten year of planning, the IECQ System was formally begun.

IECQ System and CECC System were merged as IECQ-CECC System in April, 2003. In year 2005 IECQ meeting, the MC decides to reconvert the abbreviation as IECQ.