NEWS

On 14 May, the Horizon Europe project Edu4Standards.eu will host a webinar to introduce the Academic Standards Days and the process to apply for funding. The Academic Standards Days are key events designed to deepen the understanding of standardization and further the engagement with the topic at universities across Europe.

A ceremonial opening of the exhibition titled “The world is safe and sound when standards are around” took place at the Central Technical Library of the University of Ljubljana (CTK), co-organized by the Slovenian Institute for Standardization (SIST) and CTK. The exhibition highlights the crucial role of standards in ensuring safety, quality, and sustainability in everyday life, as well as their impact on society, industry, and technology.

The draft standard prEN 18156 ‘Tactile lettering - Requirements on the presentation and application of Braille and raised characters’ was out for CEN Enquiry until 24 April 2025. ANEC has played a leading role in the development of the standard and supports its adoption.

Standards provide rules and guidance on how products and tools are made, how methods are applied, and how services are rendered. Not only are they crucial in enabling the Single Market through interoperability and compatibility, they also ensure the safety and quality of products. At the same time – and very importantly –, standards affect workers. From the design of high-risk machinery and AI systems used in the workplace to the specifications governing personal protective equipment across various sectors in Europe, standards permeate the world of work.

In Austria, 4,860 experts from 2,880 nominating organizations are currently involved in standardization on a voluntary and unpaid basis. With 1,042 delegates at European level, Austria has a strong impact on the global standardization network and is actively involved in shaping standards. The new brand strategy of Austrian Standards reflects this attitude and self-image of the organization. The sharpened brand identity combines expertise, reliability and innovative strength.

As every year, ANEC once again celebrated World Consumer Rights Day, organized by Consumer International on 15 March 2024. This year’s theme was dedicated to the topic of “A just transition to sustainable lifestyles”.

Our minds are constantly processing information, analysing situations, and making decisions. But what happens when cognitive demands at work become overwhelming? The mental effort required to perform tasks – known as mental workload – can significantly impact both our well-being and performance.

The High-Level Forum on European Standardization (HLF) was set up by the European Commission in January 2023 to advise on strategic political matters in this field based on the EU Strategy on Standardization. The HLF aims to identify standardization priorities in support of EU policies and legislation and discuss horizontal issues, such as international leadership and education and skills, in a multi-stakeholder setting. Within the HLF, horizontal and topical workstreams have been launched to further the work in diverse areas.

To celebrate International Women’s Day, IFAN, the International Federation of Standards Users, hosted “Authentic Voices – Inspiring Women through Shared Standardization Journeys”, a webinar highlighting the role of women in shaping global standards. Moderated by Gabriela Ehrlich, a member of IFAN and former Communication Director at IEC, the discussion emphasized the importance of diversity in standardization and the need for greater female participation.

On Tuesday, March 4, a meeting of the technical committee SIST/TC UMI, dedicated to Artificial Intelligence, was held at the Slovenian Institute for Standardization. Aleksander Velkavrh, a young Standardization Ambassador and a student at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, as well as Bojana Bogičević, a participant of the Autumn School of Standardization and also a student at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, joined the meeting. Both had the opportunity to learn about the process of reviewing and adopting standards at the national level.