Under the title “Europe as a global standard-setter – between AI, alliances and competitiveness,” Austrian Standards hosted talks on 11 November 2025 as part of the WE NORM THE FUTURE | Summit 2025.
Valerie Höllinger, CEO of Austrian Standards, was delighted to welcome more than 300 participants. In her speech, she emphasized that standardization is an essential framework within which Europe's future is taking shape.
A total of 15 high-profile speakers enriched the event with their valuable contributions. Below, Austrian Standards have compiled the key messages from the European standards community.
In his keynote speech, Jacques Pelkmans from CEPS underlined the importance of a common EU standardization strategy for Europe's global competitiveness. He said that standardization is a key instrument for increasing efficiency, ensuring compatibility and driving innovation worldwide. In this context, it is crucial to always recognize how standards work across borders and how they can be actively shaped.
Federico Musso from the European Commission's Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, and one of the co-authors of the European Standardization Strategy, provided insights into the ongoing revision of the EU Standardization Regulation 1025/2012 online. Musso emphasized the strategic importance of standards for a Europe that is an important benchmark for other markets.
Andreea Gulacsi, Director of Policy & External Affairs at CEN and CENELEC, spoke about the ‘standards diplomacy’ that connects the world: technical harmonization, international agreements and strategic presence intertwine to make European standards a common language with global reach.
The entire review of the event in English and all presentations are available at this link.
