Industry Vision on Standardization
The ECJ judgement on 5/3/2024 in Case C-588/21 put a lot of stress on the relation between the EC and CEN and CENELEC. There were lots of discussions between the standardization organizations, but what is the industry view.
The ECJ judgement on 5/3/2024 in Case C-588/21 put a lot of stress on the relation between the EC and CEN and CENELEC. There were lots of discussions between the standardization organizations, but what is the industry view. To define this view, AGORIA organized a workshop op 4/12/2024.
The key takeaways are:
- The industry wants a global worldwide standard. Copyright issues might give rise to different national or regional standards leading the industry to product deviations and multiple conformity assessments. This shall be avoided. A global worldwide standard is the best guarantee to affordable products.
- The industry wants to write the standards by itself. By taking the elaboration of the standards in their own hands, the industry is assured of multiple contact points: new work item proposal, elaboration of the standard in the working group, enquiry, formal vote. Compared to a delegated act written by an university or research institute with hopefully one written feedback moment. The industry will then have to cope with poor technical specifications.
- The presumption of conformity offered by harmonized standards is a great tool and reduces the cost of conformity considerable. The system of harmonized standards shall be maintained.
- The standardisation organisations should reflect on alternative sources of income or on added value services in order to be able to offer the standards for free. Free available standards will indeed be used more.
Also, for the BEC board, it is a priority that the industry keeps the development of harmonized standards, that give a presumption of conformity with the legislation, in its own hands. The industry has an interest in globally harmonized standards, not in fragmentation.