With the continuous growth and development of the diving industry on a global scale, the need has been recognised by the members of the RSTC in the United States of America, in Canada, Australia, Japan and Europe to find a competent but neutral body to control such organisations creatively, whilst working closely with the RSTC in respect of minimum course content and standards. Let us outline the following points: The World Recreational Scuba Training Council (WRSTC) is dedicated to safety for the recreational diving public on a world-wide scale, as such, the primary goal of the WRSTC is the development of global minimum training standards. The implementation of these internationally recognised standards will be a valuable asset when addressing local and international regulatory issues making the WRSTC the mechanism for international consistency for minimum course training standards. Active members of the WRSTC shall recognise responsibility for the promotion of global safety of the recreational diving public. The international consistency of training standards therefore creates world-wide credibility of the RSTC in general. RSTC Europe is one of a number of organisations who are founder members of WRSTC.

The foundation of a yet to be defined regional RSTC is open to national and internationally developed bodies comprising of one or more recognised organisations. In order to be considered by the WRSTC and its founding bodies the recognised organisation must meet the following criteria:

- they must hold a current licensed business certificate, which they must have held for at least four years;

- they must be able to provide a complete file of recreational diver standards;

- they must be able to provide a complete file of instructors standards of conduct;

- they must be able to provide a complete file of instructors training procedures;

- they must have completed the RSTC statistical input sheet.

All standards and course content should be consistent with current RSTC requirements. Being a member of RSTC unifies an organisation to the goals and commitment to diver safety. Being a competent recognised organisation assures that diving development can be achieved in a positive and creative way globally. The RSTC and its members represent a unique market potential, not only for educational and retail businesses, but also for the tourist industry.

The definition of a recreational diver should be defined as an individual who has been trained to engage in non-commercial, non-scientific, non-industrial, or technical diving techniques using compressed atmospheric air. This training is limited to the participation of skin diving and shallow water diving using general scuba diving equipment and accessories, and shall be for the general purpose of providing individuals with the ability to participate in such activities including (but not limited to) underwater sightseeing, marine biology, underwater photography etc...

The recreational diver certification business, i.e. association, firm, corporation or other entity shall be seen to be primarily engaged in the recreational diver certification business, if more than 60% of its gross revenues are attributable to the processing of recreational diver certification cards, membership fees from recreational diving instructors and stores (including fees for the training of recreational diving instructors) and from the sales of recreational diver and recreational diver instructor training materials.