NEWS
Every year on 9 May, the European Union celebrates Europe Day. It is a day commemorating the Schuman Declaration of 1950, which laid the foundations for peace, cooperation, and integration in Europe.
CEN and CENELEC warmly welcome the European Commission’s Gender Equality Strategy 2026–2030, published in March 2026. The Strategy reaffirms gender equality as a core value of the European Union and sets out a comprehensive framework of actions to advance equality between women and men in all their diversity.
CEN and CENELEC, together with their members in 34 European countries, welcome the 21 April judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union in Case C 155/24 (Nederlandse Voedsel- en Warenautoriteit and Others v. Stichting Rookpreventie Jeugd).
CEN and CENELEC warmly welcome the European Commission’s publication of the Annual Union Work Programme 2026 for European Standardization (AUWP 2026), which sets out five key priorities and 43 actions in support of EU policies for competitiveness. This document identifies the strategic direction for European standardization and aligns with the objectives of the Competitiveness Compass.
Over the last few months, CEN and CENELEC have been reaching out to the European Parliament regarding the drafting of the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF) and the 10th EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP10, 2028-2034), the successor to Horizon Europe. Together with national Members, CEN and CENELEC will continue to reach out to the Members of Parliament in the ITRE committee to convince them to build on the European Standardization Strategy and the Guiding Principles of Knowledge Valorisation and Code of Practice on Standardization in the European Research Area (full article here).
On 24 March, the European Parliament’s Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO) held a Structured Dialogue with EVP Commissioner Séjourné to discuss the barriers preventing full harmonization of the Single Market. During the exchange, standardization was highlighted as one of the “Terrible 10” obstacles, with concerns raised that developing a standard takes, on average, eight years.
CEN and CENELEC welcome the European Commission’s initiative to revise Directive 2014/24/EU on public procurement with the aim of increasing simplicity, flexibility, and transparency.
The European Commission has confirmed that the revision of the Standardization Regulation (EU Regulation no. 1025/2012) will be carried out in parallel with the revision of the New Legislative Framework Regulation and the Market Surveillance Regulation, resulting in a package of the European Product Act (EPA). CEN and CENELEC support this approach to ensure alignment with the three Regulations to strengthen European quality infrastructure.
Europe faces growing geopolitical pressures and a rapidly evolving defence landscape. To build a resilient and competitive European defence sector, standardization must be integrated early and systematically into defence policy, planning, procurement, and capability development.
The war in Ukraine has made defence a top priority for Europe. Numerous policies focus on increasing European defence capabilities through greater cooperation and coordination of national defence forces, developing measures for interoperability, joint procurement, reducing industrial fragmentation, and strengthening supply chains.
The current lack of a dedicated, strategic framework for European defence standardization is an important opportunity to engage defence stakeholders and ensure standardization is focused on meeting their urgent and long-term needs.
On 17 November 2025, CEN and CENELEC, joined by the Annex III organizations: ANEC, ECOS, ETUC and SBS, hosted a high-level event in Brussels, bringing together key stakeholders to discuss the future of European Standardization. The dialogue focused on an inclusive standardization system, considering the pivotal legislative developments currently taking place, e.g. the Omnibus Regulation, the revision of the Standardization Regulation and the New Legislative Framework (see Policy - CEN-CENELEC).