A European standard is shaped by those who contribute to its development, and benefits from the systematic participation of a wide cross-section of society who represent different interests and areas of expertise such as SMEs, trade unions, consumer or environmental organizations.
If you are interested in becoming a consumer representative in standardization, your first contact point should be your national consumer association or your national standards organization member of CEN or CENELEC, and, secondly, ANEC - the European Consumer Voice in Standardisation
Provide your expert knowledge through your national CEN Member or national CENELEC member.
National members allow you to give your views on standards being developed and offer support and training to those who wish to contribute to the development of standards.
Draft standards are published for public comment and standards bodies encourage all civil society stakeholders to use this opportunity to help shape the final standard. Contact your national member to find out more on online commenting tools.
Through CEN and CENELEC European partners, which are broad-based European organizations, representing particular sectors of industry, as well as consumers, environmentalists and workers.
In particular, you can obtain valuable information, advice and support from ANEC, the European Consumer Voice in Standardization.
ANEC brings together experts from across its member countries to define collective consumer positions and present them directly in the work of CEN or CENELEC. While, in some countries, the CEN and CENELEC members are able to involve consumer experts systematically in national and European standards work, the consumer expertise available to standardization in other countries is scare or may not exist. Hence the key role of ANEC for consumers in European Standardization.
ANEC was established in 1995 as an international non-profit association under Belgian law and is open to the representation of national consumer organizations. Although ANEC cannot pay a salary to its experts, it reimburses travel, accommodation and subsistence costs in line with the rules governing its funding. ANEC is supported financially by the EU & EFTA, with the national consumer associations contributing in kind.
For additional information, please contact ANEC.
Through the International Standards Organization (ISO) - ISO/COPOLCO Committee on consumer policy (ISO COPOLCO)
Through the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)