Annex III organisations’ contribution to European Standardisation 2015

Brussels, 12th September 2014 – SBS – the European association representing SMEs in the standard making process at European and international level – obtained the integration of SME priorities in the adopted Guidance Note on European Standardisation 2015. SBS, alongside the other three Annex III organisations (ECOS1, ETUI2, ANEC3), presented a joint document as a contribution to the Guidance Note. This joint contribution was put forward by the four Annex III organisations during the 1st Joint Coordination meeting with the ESOs organised by the European Commission.

The aim of the coordination meeting was to collaborate with ESOs in order to optimise the implementation of Regulation 1025, specifically on actively engaging and facilitating the participation of Annex III organisations in the standardisation process. The joint document provides a common position on political expectations for 2015 in view of the adoption of the annual Union work programme for European standardisation. The adopted Guidance Note reflects all the comments urged by SBS.

In this context, the four Annex III organisations requested four priorities to be taken into consideration: i) the need for a balanced and effective participation, ii) raising awareness on the role and rights of the Annex III organisations, iii) alignment of working methods and governing rules of the three Europeans Standardisation Organisations (CEN, CENELEC and ETSI), and iv) a higher level of democracy and transparency in the membership, management and functioning of Technical Committees, Working Groups and Sector Fora.

All National Standardisation Bodies and European Technical Bodies need to be aware of the role and rights of societal stakeholders and SMEs. Awareness raising activities therefore need to be undertaken by the ESOs together with monitoring activities to evaluate their impact at technical level. National standards bodies have to facilitate participation of SMEs and societal stakeholders at national level.