CEN and CENELEC are committed to the Czech Presidency's goals to rethink, rebuild and repower Europe

Since the beginning of the War in Ukraine, the EU is facing several challenges that can be expected to have a long-lasting effect on the future of the continent. “Europe as a Task: Rethink, Rebuild, Repower’’, the official motto of the Czech Presidency, reflects the key moment in history Europe finds itself in. The next six months are an opportunity to set the conditions that will contribute to ensuring Europe is fit to deliver on its promises.

As two of the officially recognised European Standardization Organizations (ESOs), CEN and CENELEC, together with ÚNMZ, the Czech Office for Standards, Metrology and Testing, are eager to show the added value of European Standards to achieving the five priorities of the Czech Presidency, in the framework established by the new European Standardization Strategy.

1. Managing the refugee crisis and Ukraine’s post-war recovery

The CEN and CENELEC community reaffirms its solidarity with the Ukrainian people. We welcome the Czech Presidency’s strong prioritisation of ensuring the conditions for post-war reconstruction whilst dealing with the current pressing needs. CEN and CENELEC also commit to work closely with our Companion Standardization Body in Ukraine, DSTU, to utilise standardization in the reconstruction effort of the country.

2. Energy security

As the war in Ukraine has put issues of energy dependency and ensuring security of supply at the top of Europe’s agenda, CEN and CENELEC are committed to having European Standards play a key role in providing actionable solutions. Energy efficiency is an essential aspect of strengthening the EU’s resilience. A Sector Forum on Energy Management and Energy Transition has already been established to work on coordinating policy and strategic issues related to the standardization of energy management and efficiency. We look forward to continuing to use this and other tools to help reach Europe’s energy resilience goals. 

3. Strengthening Europe’s defence capabilities and cyberspace security

Defence and cyber security have also proven to be immensely important in the context of our fractured world. By utilising standards, we can contribute to a Europe that is protected against a variety of threats, both physical and cyber. The CEN and CENELEC Sector Forum on Security (SF-SEC) was created to introduce a strategic view on security and coordinate work on standards in the area. Furthermore, CEN-CENELEC/JTC 13 'Cybersecurity and data protection' does, and will continue to do, strong work on the area of cybersecurity, with the aim of creating leading global standards in this evolving field.

4. Strategic resilience of the European economy

The combined aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine has led to serious fragility in the European economy. Many countries in Europe are now experiencing inflation, supply chain issues and market insecurity. We welcome the Czech Presidency’s priority to identify and implement actionable solutions to create a more resilient European economy. European Standards play a critical role in enabling an innovative and competitive economy and in strengthening the Single Market. By meeting the goals set out in our joint Strategy 2030 and contributing to some of the key legislative priorities set by the Czech Presidency, such the amendment to Regulation 1025/2012, the Chips Act and the Machinery Directive, CEN and CENELEC wish to leverage on the role of standards in maintaining a functional and strong economy.

5. Resilience of democratic institutions

In order to strengthen the legitimacy and resilience of democratic institutions, the Czech Presidency has identified the importance of having a human-centric approach to emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain/Cryptocurrency. Adopting a human-centric approach ensures that the EU’s fundamental belief in human rights is incorporated in how we approach technology. Standards can also be used to achieve improvements in the social and environmental aspects of technology and spread European values. The Joint CEN-CENELEC Technical Committee 21 (CEN-CLC/JTC 21) on Artificial Intelligence, created in 2021, is currently working on how best to use standards in the everchanging area of AI. CEN-CLC/JTC 19 ‘Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies’ will also continue to work on standards in blockchain.

Elena Santiago Cid, Director General of CEN and CENELEC, commented: “The European Standardization System, based on a voluntary and inclusive approach, has already shown its potential in addressing the many challenges Europe has to face. Now the CEN and CENELEC community is ready to engage with the Czech Presidency of the EU Council to contribute to successfully addressing the impact of the war in Ukraine and ensuring the long-term resilience of the European Economy, on the basis of a renewed strategic partnership with the European institutions".