NEWS

Halloween may be the season of ghosts and ghouls, but when it comes to safety and sustainability, there is nothing spooky about European Standards. From glowing pumpkins to compostable candy wrappers, standards help make sure that our celebrations stay both fun and responsible.

Five harmonized European standards for thermal energy meters have been officially cited in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), following the publication of Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1939. This milestone marks a significant step forward in supporting the EU’s internal market and regulatory framework for measuring instruments under the Measurement Instruments Directive (MID – Directive 2014/32/EU).

CEN-CENELEC/JTC 22 ‘Quantum Technologies’ have published their first ever deliverable in the form of a Technical Report (TR). The document covers the universal gate-based quantum-computing model, also known as a digital or circuit quantum-computing model, on multiple physical systems. TR 18202:2025 slices down the overall complexity of quantum computing into two main groups of layers, summarizing theoretical and practical approaches with state-of-the-art definition.

Noise pollution is one of the major challenges of public transport systems. The impact noise and vibration, caused by the interaction between heavy vehicles and infrastructure, has on human health is a major concern in railway. Manufacturers, operators and infrastructure managers work together to develop new methods not only to mitigate the emissions but also to better measure it. Without precise measurement methods, no robust solution is possible.

As we rely more and more on digital tools to navigate public transport, the need for consistent, accurate, and real-time travel information has become essential. Whether it is knowing if your train is delayed or finding out whether a lift at your metro station is working, these updates shape how we plan and experience our journeys.

CEN-CLC/JTC 14 ‘Energy management and energy efficiency in the framework of energy transition’ welcomes the publication of a new standard, EN 16325:2025 ‘Guarantees of origin related to energy,’ developed by Working Group 5.

Are you travelling this summer and planning to visit museums or cultural landmarks? Two newly published European Standards will help ensure that you can enjoy historical artifacts without putting them at risk and protect them for generations to come. 

To organize a safe railway network, it is fundamental to have a robust signalling and speed control system. At the European level, the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) is the system deployed for the management and interoperation of signalling for railways by the European Union (EU). The ERTMS ensures interoperability of the national railway systems, reducing the purchasing and maintenance costs of the signalling systems as well as increasing the speed of trains, the capacity of infrastructure and the level of safety in rail transport.

CEN/TC 159 ‘Hearing protectors’ has recently published amendments to the EN 352 series ‘Hearing protectors - Safety requirements’ and updated testing methods in the EN 13819 series ‘Hearing protectors - Testing’. As new technologies, features, and functionalities are increasingly expected in hearing protectors, there is an ongoing need to incorporate relevant requirements and testing procedures.

Two standards have recently been published on patient handling equipment used in ambulances, developed by CEN/TC 239 ‘Rescue Systems’. EN 1865-2:2024 improves the performance of power assisted stretchers while EN 1865-6:2024 specifies requirements for powered chairs. These standards address safety and performance gaps, helping to protect both patients and caregivers.