CEN

CEN, short for the European Committee for Standardization, is one of the three main European standardization organizations, alongside CENELEC and ETSI. It coordinates the development of voluntary European standards across a wide range of sectors, from construction and consumer products to health and services. CEN serves 34 national standards bodies from European countries and aims to harmonize technical specifications to facilitate the single European market.

Founded in 1961, CEN is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. Its technical work is carried out by Technical Committees and working groups, composed of experts from member bodies and other stakeholders. When a standard is approved, it is published as a European Standard (EN) or, in some cases, as a European Technical Specification (TS). ENs can be cited in European Union legislation, providing a presumption of conformity with relevant requirements and supporting CE marking for products.

CEN collaborates closely with ISO and IEC, adopting and adapting international standards where appropriate and contributing to global standardization efforts. National standards bodies implement European standards through transposition into national documents, and they may also adopt ENs directly as national standards.

Governance in CEN is conducted through a General Assembly representing its member bodies, supported by technical boards and numerous committees that manage specific areas of standardization. The organization’s work is funded by member bodies and by contributions for targeted projects.

CEN’s activities help ensure interoperability, safety, and quality across Europe, support free trade within the Union and beyond, and influence the development of global standards through its participation in international processes.