About CENELEC

The European Electrotechnical Committee for Standardization is one of three European Standardization Organizations (together with CEN and ETSI) that have been officially recognized by the European Union and by the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) as being responsible for developing and defining voluntary standards at European level.

CENELEC Corporate Governing Bodies: 

  • The General Assembly (CENELEC/AG), the supreme body of the Association;
  • The Administrative Board (CENELEC/CA);
  • The Presidential Committee.

Functions of the Association:

  • The President and the President-Elect;
  • The three Vice-Presidents (Policy, Technical and Finance);
  • Ordinary Administrative Board members.

Other Corporate Bodies supporting the achievement of the scope of CENELEC:

  • the Director General;
  • the Technical Board;
  • the Technical Committees; and
  • the Board of Appeal, as stipulated in the Internal Regulations.

 

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The CENELEC General Assembly (AG) is the supreme governing body of CENELEC.

 

It is chaired by the President, and has the full power of decision within the organization. The General Assembly determines the CENELEC policy and is composed of the delegations from the National Electrotechnical Committees (NCs) of each of the Member countries of CENELEC.

 

The ordinary General Assembly meets once a year during the first six months. Upon invitation by the President, Extraordinary Assemblies may be convened each time the interests of the Association require it.

The CENELEC Administrative Board (CA) manages and administers the Association's business. In addition, it prepares the agendas of the General Assembly meetings, with inclusion of proposed recommendations, and ensures subsequently the correct execution of the decisions taken by the General Assembly.

The Administrative Board comprises ex officio the CENELEC functions (i.e. the President, three Vice-Presidents and the President-Elect) and up to nine other Administrative Board members, and the President-Elect as an observer. The members of the Administrative Board are appointed by the General Assembly.

The function status is primarily required for representation purposes, i.e. for the President to represent CENELEC, for the Vice Presidents and the President-Elect to represent CENELEC by delegation or on behalf of the President. The other Board members participate in, and contribute to the important tasks entrusted to the Administrative Board.

 

CENELEC Board members' compositions

The Presidential Committee (PC) is a joint Corporate Body of CEN and CENELEC. It manages and administers activities with respect to non-sector specific matters of common interest to both Associations,  including  matters  subject  to  common  administration and/or common policy.

 

The Presidential Committee is composed of the two Presidents of CEN and CENELEC, the two President Elects, the six Vice Presidents and the common Director General.

 

The Presidential Committee meets regularly, and at least twice per year and reports to the respective Administrative Boards.

The CENELEC Technical Board (BT) is responsible for controlling the standards programme and promoting its speedy execution by the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre (CCMC), Technical Committees (TCs) and other bodies. The BT consists of the President and/or the Vice President(s) and one permanent delegate from each CENELEC member (National Committees), who establish the necessary contacts at national level so as to be able to represent the member effectively.
BT meetings are be chaired by the President or a Vice President. The BT secretariat is held by CCMC.
The functions of the Technical Board, which may be executed either at a meeting or by correspondence, include inter-alia:

  • Deciding on all matters concerning the organization, working procedures, coordination and planning of standards work;
  • Monitoring and controlling the progress of standards work in close cooperation with CCMC and, in particular, in consultation with the TC Chairperson and Secretary,
  • Keeping under review the title, scope and programme of work of each TC, in order to ensure the greatest possible coordination and avoidance of overlaps and to see that each TC is engaged in a limited number of practicable projects;
  • Examination of proposals for new projects;
  • Deciding on which questionnaires should be issued and evaluate their results;
  • Setting up and disbanding TC, allocating their secretariats and appointing their Chairperson;
  • Imposing or releasing standstill obligations and dealing with members' requests to publish related national standards in the meantime;
  • Organizing technical liaison with intergovernmental organizations, international organizations and European trade, professional, technical and scientific organizations;
  • Considering and ruling upon appeals;
  • Undertaking such other tasks with regard to standards work as may be specifically requested by the General Assembly or by the Administrative Board on its behalf.

BT may delegate some of its functions to appropriate subgroups or technical bodies, under its full authority and supervision.
Representatives of the European Commission and the EFTA Secretariat and, subject to contractual agreements, other organizations are invited to attend BT meetings as observers. In special cases the Chairperson may also invite experts to take part in BT discussions.

The CEN-CENELEC Management Centre is headed by the Director General.

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