The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) are two distinct private international non-profit organisations based in Brussels.
Our mission is to fulfil the needs of our stakeholders: amongst others business, industry and commerce, service providers, public authorities and regulators, academia and research centres, European trade associations and interest groups representing environmentalists, consumers, trade unions as well as small and medium enterprises, and other public and private institutions.
We are leading providers of voluntary European Standards and related products and services for the benefit of businesses, consumers and other standard users in Europe.
European standards are driven by business and made through a transparent, balanced and consensus-based process in which relevant stakeholders are involved.
We aim to produce high-quality standards for products and services that incorporate quality, safety, environmental, interoperability and accessibility requirements. We adapt proactively to new developments and support European competitiveness, the protection of the environment and sustainable growth for the wellbeing of citizens and
the strengthening of the single market (European Economic Area).
We promote the unique European Standardization System and its results, leading the implementation of best practice in standardization around the world.
We actively support international standardization, and cooperate closely with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), in order to pursue the goal of ‘one standard, one test, accepted everywhere’.