European Standards
A ‘harmonised standard’ is a standard adopted by one of the European standardisation organisations – European Committee for Standardization (CEN), European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) and European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) – following a request from the European Commission.
The so-called ‘New Approach’ represents an innovative way of technical harmonisation by splitting the responsibilities between the European legislator and the European standards bodies.
The ‘New Approach’ is based on the following fundamental principles:
- European directives define the ‘essential requirements’ to ensure a high level of protection of health, safety consumer protection, or the protection of the environment. Such directives under the new approach are based on Article 114 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (ex Article 95 TEC) which allows for the adoption of measures for the improvement of free movement of goods.
- The task of drawing up the corresponding harmonised standards meeting the essential requirements of products established by the directives is entrusted to the European standardisation organisations (CEN, CENELEC and ETSI).
- Products that comply with harmonised standards are presumed to meet the corresponding essential requirements (presumption of conformity, CE marking) and Member States must accept the free movement of such products.
- The use of these standards remains voluntary. Alternative standards are possible but manufacturers then have an obligation to prove that their products meet the essential requirements.
European directives under the New Approach fall under the responsibility of the European Commission, DG Enterprise and Industry. In-depth information on the directives adopted under the New Approach can be found in the directives section or on the following European Commission web pages:
- http://www.newapproach.org/Directives/DirectiveList.asp
- http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/european-standards/documents/harmonised-standards-legislation/list-references/
- http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/single-market-goods/documents/blue-guide/
Links to European and international standardisation bodies
National standardisation bodies
Members of CEN
|
Country |
Institution / member of CEN |
Link |
|
Austria |
Österreichisches Normungsinstitut (ON) |
|
|
Belgium |
Bureau de Normalisation/Bureau voor Normalisatie (NBN) |
|
|
Bulgaria |
Българският институт за стандартизация (BDS) |
|
|
Cyprus |
Κυπριακοσ Οργανισμοσ Τυποποιησησ (CYS) |
|
|
Czech Republic |
Úřad pro technickou normalizaci, metrologii a státní zkušebnictví (ÚNMZ) |
|
|
Denmark |
Dansk Standard (DS) |
|
|
Estonia |
Eesti Standardikeskus (EVS) |
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Finland |
Suomen Standardisoimisliitto r.y. (SFS) |
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|
France |
Association Française de Normalisation (AFNOR) |
|
|
Germany |
Deutsches Institut für Normung e.V. (DIN) |
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Greece |
Ελληνικός Οργανισμός Τυποποίησης (ELOT) |
|
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Hungary |
Magyar Szabványügyi Testület (MSZT) |
|
|
Iceland |
Islenskir Stadlar (IST) |
|
|
Ireland |
National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) |
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Italy |
Ente Nazionale Italiano di Unificazione (UNI) |
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Latvia |
Latvijas Standarts (LVS) |
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Lithuania |
Lietuvos Standartizacijos Departamento (LST) |
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Luxembourg |
Institut Luxembourgeois de la normalisation, de l'accreditation, de la sécurité et qualité des produits et services (ILNAS) |
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|
Malta |
Malta Standards Authority (MSA) |
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|
The Netherlands |
Nederlands Normalisatie-instituut (NEN) |
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|
Norway |
Norsk Standard (SN) |
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|
Poland |
Polski Komitet Normalizacyjny (PKN) |
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Portugal |
Instituto Português da Qualidade (IPQ) |
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Romania |
Asociaţia de Standardizare Din România (ASRO) |
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Slovakia |
Slovenského ústavu technickej normalizácie (SUTN) |
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Slovenia |
Asociaţia de Standardizare Din România (SIST) |
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Spain |
Asociación Española de Normalización y Certificación (AENOR) |
|
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Sweden |
Swedish Standards Institute (SIS) |
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Switzerland |
Schweizerische Normen-Vereinigung (SNV) |
|
|
United Kingdom |
British Standards Institution (BSI) |
Members of CENELEC
|
Country |
Institution / member of CENELEC |
Link |
|
Austria |
Österreichischer Verband für Elektrotechnik |
|
|
Belgium |
Comité Electrotechnique Belge / Belgisch Elektrotechnisch Comité |
|
|
Bulgaria |
Българският институт за стандартизация (BDS) |
|
|
Cyprus |
Κυπριακοσ Οργανισμοσ Τυποποιησησ (CYS) |
|
|
Czech Republic |
Úřad pro technickou normalizaci, metrologii a státní zkušebnictví (ÚNMZ) |
|
|
Denmark |
Dansk Standard (DS) |
|
|
Estonia |
Eesti Standardikeskus (EVS) |
|
|
Finland |
Sähkö- ja Elektroniikka-alan Kansallinen Standardointijärjestö (SESKO) |
|
|
France |
Union Technique de l'Electricité |
|
|
Germany |
Deutsche Kommission Elektrotechnik Elektronik |
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|
Greece |
Ελληνικός Οργανισμός Τυποποίησης (ELOT) |
|
|
Hungary |
Magyar Szabványügyi Testület (MSZT) |
|
|
Iceland |
Staðlaráð Íslands |
|
|
Ireland |
Electro-Technical Council of Ireland Limited |
|
|
Italy |
Comitato Elettrotecnico Italiano |
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|
Latvia |
Latvijas Standarts (LVS) |
|
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Lithuania |
Lietuvos Standartizacijos Departamento (LST) |
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Luxembourg |
Institut Luxembourgeois de la normalisation, de l'accreditation, de la sécurité et qualité des produits et services (ILNAS) |
|
|
Malta |
Malta Standards Authority (MSA) |
|
|
The Netherlands |
Nederlands Normalisatie-instituut (NEN) |
|
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Norway |
Norsk Elektroteknisk Komite |
|
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Poland |
Polski Komitet Normalizacyjny (PKN) |
|
|
Portugal |
Instituto Português da Qualidade (IPQ) |
|
|
Romania |
Asociaţia de Standardizare Din România (ASRO) |
|
|
Slovakia |
Slovenského ústavu technickej normalizácie (SUTN) |
|
|
Slovenia |
Asociaţia de Standardizare Din România (SIST) |
|
|
Spain |
Asociación Española de Normalización y Certificación (AENOR) |
|
|
Sweden |
SEK Svensk Elstandard |
|
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Switzerland |
Electrosuisse |
|
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United Kingdom |
British Electrotechnical Committee / British Standards Institution |
