European Standardisation: A short insight
By Guido De Jongh
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre - Brussels
What is CEN ?
(1)
 The European Committee for Standardization, whose members
are the National Standardization Bodies of the EU and EFTA
countries plus Croatia
 CEN is an international non-profit organisation, incorporated
under Belgian law
 2 Counsellors (European Commission, EFTA)
 CEN-CENELEC Management Centre (CCMC), Brussels
 Recognized by the European Authorities as one of the three
competent standardization bodies for the EU (see Directive
98/34/EC)
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What is CEN ?
(2)
 Over 60 000 experts of all fields are active in CEN work
 Experts of authorities, industry, consumer organisations, etc.
(i.e. the stakeholders) participate in the standardisation
process, which is open and transparent
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The geography
 Member
 Affiliate
27 Members of EU
3 Members of EFTA
Croatia
19 Affiliates
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How do we harmonize and contribute to the
single market ?
 European Standards (EN)

Over 14 000 ENs exist today, with about 1 000 new documents being
published every year

European Standards are, from a legal point of view, voluntary in their use,
but “unavoidable” in practise
 CEN Workshop Agreements (CWA)

Consensus-based documents, directly made by the stakeholders

Often used in innovative areas, e.g. biofuels or information technology
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Standards, regulations and private specifications
Law
Mandatory
Regulations
Standards
Public
Voluntary
CEN Workshop Agreement
Professional good practice, corporate specs, etc.
Private
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What is a standard ?
 A standard is a document

established by all interested parties (e.g. also yourself)

reflecting consensus
 In addition, a European Standard

is automatically transposed in national standards and
conflicting national standards are to be withdrawn
 European Standards are, from a legal point of view,
voluntary in their use, but at the same time “unavoidable”
in practice
 A tool to underpin the details of directives

e.g. Medical device directive
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Drafting European Standards
Project
Proposal
?
Circulation for
comments
Draft
Standard
Technical
Working
Technical
Committee
Group
Committee
Weighted
vote
Timeframe: 36 Months
National
Standards
Body
European
Standard
USER
National
implementation
6 Months
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Not only European Standards:
The CEN Workshop Agreement
 The CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) represents the consensus
of identified stakeholders
 Anybody interested can join (including anyone outside Europe) –
direct participation
 A public process
 Rules are very simple (non-bureaucratic)
 Workshops are fast (5 months is the record, 12-15 months
average!)
 The CEN Workshop Agreement shall not conflict with ENs
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Different steps to publish a CEN Workshop
Agreement
Business Plan
Kick-off
Meeting
Drafting and
adoption of
CWA
Publication of
CWA
TIMEFRAME: 6 – 18 MONTHS
Describing
– Scope
– Objectives
– Financing
– Schedule
Confirming
Business Plan :
– Rules of the
Workshop
– Financing
– Chairmanship
– Secretariat
Consensus
process
Announced
– Workshop
participants
CEN National
Members
by
– Public
consultation,
as appropriate
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Our international partner: ISO
 Main differences CEN – ISO

ISO works at worldwide level

Consensus building process on ISO standards must take account
of all regional interests

No automatic transposition of ISO standard at national level
 Collaboration agreement between CEN and ISO (Vienna
Agreement) avoids duplication of work
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Some examples
 Standards on products

EN 71 series on “Safety of toys”

EN 14214:2008 “Biodiesel” for cars

EN 81 series on “Lifts”
 Standards on services

EN 14804: 2005 “Language study tour providers – Requirements”

EN 14467: 2004 “Recreational diving services – Requirements for
recreational scuba diving service providers”

prEN 15733 “Services of Real Estate Agents – Requirements for the
provision of the services of real estate agents”
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Questions ?
Thank you
www.cen.eu
E-mail: [email protected]