NEWS
Pressurized systems are found at the core of many of our key industries, including hospitals, chemical plants, and nuclear power stations – they are even in the heating systems in our homes. Sudden failure of these systems can be catastrophic, so industry first started work to standardize the design, operation, and maintenance in the 1880s. EN ISO 24817:2026 provides guidance on using advanced composite materials such as carbon or glass fibre reinforced epoxy resins (as an alternative to traditional methods) to enable the continued, safe operation of pressurized systems where inspection identifies points of concern.
World Standards Day this year marked an additional milestone for Europe's AI ecosystem. The day coincided with the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) of the Commission Implementing Decision citing the first harmonized standard in support of the AI Act: EN 18286:2026 'Artificial Intelligence – Quality management system for EU AI Act regulatory purposes'.
A child seat that fits properly, a desk that supports a comfortable posture or protective equipment that allows freedom of movement all depend on good design decisions. These decisions require reliable data, but also an understanding of how factors such as age, posture, clothing and movement affect children’s dimensions in real-life situations. CEN/TS 18296-2:2026 bridges this gap, helping turn anthropometric and strength data into safer, more comfortable and more user-friendly products and environments for children.
As Europe continues its transition towards cleaner and more sustainable mobility, hydrogen is emerging as one of the technologies that could help reduce the environmental impact of rail transport, particularly on lines where conventional electrification is difficult or economically challenging.
Medical device labels contain a remarkable amount of information in a very limited space. To help ensure that critical information can be understood regardless of language or geography, manufacturers rely on internationally recognized graphical symbols to replace text that requires translation. One of the most widely used standards supporting this practice is EN ISO 15223-1 ‘Medical devices — Symbols to be used with information to be supplied by the manufacturer — Part 1: General requirements’.
A significant milestone has been reached in European AI standardization. The first standard in support of the implementation of the AI Act, EN 18286: 2026 ‘Artificial intelligence – Quality management system for EU AI Act regulatory purposes’, has been published. This standard is a fundamental step towards regulatory compliance.
The European Union has ambitious environmental objectives defined in its legislations. As the products brought on the European Single Market have a significant environmental impact, the European Union decided on a mandatory Digital Product Passport (DPP) to store the circularity data of products for various product groups. Since products brought on the European Single Market have a significant environmental impact, it is necessary to know the parameters of each product and to exchange circularity and sustainability information with all stakeholders.
In March 2026, the CENELEC Technical Committee CLC/TC 111X ‘Environment’ published a new standard on the quantification and communication of carbon footprint and GHG emissions reduction from electric and electronic products. At a time when climate transparency is becoming a key expectation across global markets, this standard offers a harmonized approach to assessing and communicating environmental performance.
Plastic packaging is everywhere. From food trays and detergent bottles to flexible pouches and protective foams, it plays a central role in modern life and supply chains. Yet despite years of progress in waste management and recycling technologies, one major challenge remains: much of plastic packaging is still not designed to be effectively recycled.
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) and the Web Accessibility Directive (WAD) are game changers. However, they also pose challenges for public entities procuring ICT products and services, as well as for bidders. In this context, the European Commission and EFTA funded the revision of two existing documents: CEN-CLC-ETSI TR 101551:2014 ‘Guidelines on the use of accessibility award criteria suitable for public procurement of ICT products and services in Europe’ and CEN-CLC-ETSI/TR 101 552:2014 ‘Guidance for the application of conformity assessment to accessibility requirements for public procurement of ICT products and services in Europe’.