Affiliates
Affiliates are National Standards Bodies (CEN) and National Electrotechnical Committees (CENELEC) from European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) countries as envisaged by the EU enlargement process.
In this context, a Commission Communication (COM(2003)104 final of 2003-03-11) “Wider Europe-Neighbourhood: A new Framework for Relations with our Eastern and Southern Neighbours” highlights the political and economical importance of enhancing the relations with Russia, with the Western Newly Independent States (Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus) and the southern Mediterranean (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestinian Authority, Syria, Tunisia). The European Neighbourhood policy was extended to also include the countries of the Southern Caucasus with whom Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey share either a maritime or land border (i.e. Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia). These countries are included to the European Neighbourhood Policy and can benefit from the status of Affiliation to CEN and CENELEC.
Affiliation with CEN and CENELEC is available to a National Standards Body, which is :
- recognised as the only National Standards Body/National Electrotechnical Committee from an EU neighbouring country;
- member or corresponding member of the International Organization of Standardization (ISO)/member or associate member of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC);
- registered in the ISO/IEC List of Standardising Bodies having notified acceptance of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Code of Good Practice for the Preparation, Adoption and Application of Standards.
Read on the Affiliates status objectives and benefits on the CENELEC website.
Partner Standardisation Bodies (PSBs)
The significance of European Standards is growing not only because there is a link with EU policies but first of all because European Standards reflect a high quality regarding key issues such as safety, health and environment. As a result CEN and CENELEC increasingly receive requests for establishing a formal relationship with National Standards Bodies not likely to become CEN/CENELEC Members or Affiliates.
Depending on the countries and while recognising the values of international standardisation led by ISO/IEC, CEN and CENELEC have developed several options for collaboration. One of them is the concept of Partner Standardisation Body (PSB).
PSB status with CEN and CENELEC is available to a National Standards Body, which is :
- recognised as the only National Standards Body/National Electrotechnical Committee from its country;
- member or corresponding member of ISO/member or associate member of IEC;
- registered in the ISO/IEC List of Standardising Bodies having notified acceptance of the WTO Code of Good Practice for the Preparation, Adoption and Application of Standards;
- ready to accept reciprocity as far as participation in Technical Bodies is concerned.
Read more on the PSBs status objectives and benefits on the CENELEC website.