Standardisation

Workshop on 02 December 2005, Brussels, Belgium

Introduction

The challenge of stakeholder involvement in order to integrate environmental aspects into European standardisation

2005’s follow-up workshop on Commission Communication (2004)130 on the “Integration of environmental aspects into standardisation” set out to answer the question of whether the current model of standardisation offers a sufficiently broad consensus and balanced participation of all involved and affected stakeholders. It concentrated on the challenge of how to address stakeholder involvement for the integration of environmental aspects into European standardisation.

After a key note on the role of standardisation in support of its legislation and policies by the Commission, the standardisation bodies presented the current official state of play on stakeholder involvement on the national, European and international level. Afterwards, some of the most relevant stakeholders - from business, academia & research and NGOs – shared their experiences in practical standardisation work.

This gave a solid basis for discussion on the current situation and highlight:

the strengths and weaknesses which the current standardisation process offers to integrate environmental aspects,
the motivation, opportunities and threats for stakeholder participation on national, European and international level of standardisation,
possible options for improvements to the European standardisation system that could provide better representation for stakeholders in decision-making.

Two case studies were presented (EuP-Directive / industrial emissions). The aim of the case studies was to develop on how to improve stakeholder involvement towards a well balanced participation model in European standardisation, enabling all stakeholder groups to voice their concerns, and to share fully in the decision making process.

Workshop programme
To view the presentations given at the workshop follow the links in the table below

09:30	Opening of the meeting

09:35	Introduction The role of standardisation in the EU legislative framework: basic principles and current activities	Timo Makela, European Commission Directorate-General Environment, Director G

	Stakeholder participation models at Standardisation Organisations
09:45	- on national level	Andrea Fluthwedel, DIN e.V.
09:55	- on European level	Joint presentation CEN / CENELEC / ETSI Hugues Plissart, Director New Standardization Opportunities at CEN
10:10	- on international level	Caroline Warne, ISO COPOLCO

10:20	Questions and Discussion

10:30	Coffee Break

11:00	Stakeholder: business
	How is business involved and organised in the standardisation process? What are the main incentives, expectations and barriers?
11:00	- from SMEs' perspective	Arie de Graaf, NORMAPME
11:10	- from a global players' perspective	Gerd Schmidt, Siemens AG, Medical Solutions Vice President Quality and Technology

11:30	Stakeholder: academia and research
	How can academics and research access standardisation and promote their concepts and innovation?	Prof. Del Borghi, University of Genoa

11:45	Stakeholder: NGOs
	How can participation of NGOs add value to the standardisation process? How can they organise and raise their comments effectively?	Ralf Lottes, European Environmental Citizens Organisation for standardisation (ECOS), Secretary General
12:00	Situation in a new member state of EU15 +10	Janis Ulme VAK - Environmental Protection Club and Friends of the Earth, Latvia

12:10	Questions & Discussion

12:45	LUNCH

13:45	Moderated discussion with stakeholder representatives and audience
	Case Study I: Energy using Products (EuP) Directive	Introduction by Arnold Pindar (BSI) and Michail Papadoyannakis

14:45	Coffee-Break

15:15	Case Study II: industrial emissions Part A : Basic introduction Part B : Comments by a company affected Part C : Measurement of Industrial Emissions to Air	Introduction by Frédéric Hencks (Convenor WG 17 of CEN TC 264)

16:15	Follow-up & closing	Norbert Anselmann, European Commission, DG Enterprise & Industry, Head of Unit, unit C2
16:30	End of workshop

List of Participants

Date & Venue
2 December 2005 Conference Centre Albert Borschette, Rue Froissart 36, B-1040 Brussels