ESSnet Stanprep The CEN Standardisation Process

CEN Overview: A standard (French: Norme, German: Norm) is a technical publication that is used as a rule, guideline or definition. It is a repeatable way of doing something, developed through consensus. Standards are created by bringing together all interested parties including manufacturers, consumers and regulators of a particular material, product, process or service. Everyone benefits from standardisation through increased product safety and quality as well as lower transactions costs and prices.

The CEN Standardisation Process Proposal Acceptance Drafting CEN Enquiry Adoption by Weighted Vote Publication of the European Standard (EN) Review of the EN

The CEN Standardisation Process Proposal – Starting the Work In principle, any interested party is able to introduce a proposal for new work in CEN. Most standardisation work is proposed through the National Standards Bodies.

The CEN Standardisation Process Acceptance The appropriate CEN Technical Committee makes a decision on the adoption of the proposal. An accepted standardisation project is allocated to one of its working groups for the drafting of a standard.

The CEN Standardisation Process Drafting The standard is then developed by experts appointed in a working group of the Technical Committee.

The CEN Standardisation Process CEN Enquiry Once prepared draft of a European Standard is released for public comment – the 'CEN Enquiry'. Everyone who has an interest (e.g. manufacturers, public authorities, consumers, etc.) may comment. Views are collated by the 30 National Standards Bodies and analysed by the CEN Technical Committee.

The CEN Standardisation Process Adoption by Weighted Vote Taking into account the comments resulting from the CEN Enquiry, a final version is drafted which is then submitted to the 30 CEN Members for a weighted Formal Vote.

The CEN Standardisation Process Publication of the European Standard (EN) A European Standard (EN) is a document that has been adopted by one of the three recognized European Standardization Organizations: CEN, CENELEC or ETSI. An EN is available, in principle, in the three official languages of CEN (English, French and German). After its adoption, each of the 30 National Standards Bodies publishes the new EN as an identical national standard and withdraws any national standards that conflict with it. Hence, one EN becomes a national standard in the 30 member countries of CEN.

The CEN Standardisation Process Review of the European Standard (EN) To ensure that a European Standard is still current, it is reviewed at least once every five years. A review is initiated by the Secretary of the Technical Committee (TC) after 4 years.).