Harmonised standards
Harmonised standards are technical standards developed by European standardisation organisations such as CEN (European Committee for Standardization), CENELEC (European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization), and ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) on behalf of the European Commission and the EFTA (European Free Trade Association). These standards aim to unify technical requirements and safety criteria within the European Single Market to facilitate the free movement of goods and services.
The legal basis for harmonised standards is Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012, which was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 14 November 2012. This regulation aims to avoid conflicting standards at the European level and to create a consistent technical basis for market participants.
Harmonised standards can either be newly developed or adopted from existing national or international standards and adapted to European requirements. The standardisation process involves the creation, review, and adaptation of standards by the relevant standardisation organisations, with compliance being published in the Official Journal of the European Union. This publication also specifies the date from which the standards can be applied.
The implementation of harmonised standards in member states is achieved through their adoption as national standards (e.g., DIN EN, ÖNORM EN, SN EN). National standards that conflict with harmonised standards must be withdrawn within a specified period. In Germany, the announcement of national implementation is made in the Federal Gazette.