On 1 July 2018 Austria will take over the presidency of the Council of the European Union for the third time, which will significantly influence the legislative and political agenda of the Council during the next six months. The motto of Austria’s Council Presidency is “A Europe that protects”. In this context, the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and its member Austrian Standards International (A.S.I.) highlight the essential contribution that standards make to the Austrian Presidency priorities such as solving many security challenges faced by the EU today and helping to maintain EU competitiveness through digitization. 

 

“The European Standards we develop support the implementation of the European Security Union and Digital Single Market, and contribute to the economic stability and further development of most neighbouring countries of the EU”, says Elena Santiago Cid, CEN and CENELEC Director General in Brussels. Europe-wide standardization efforts are taking place in areas such as the protection of critical infrastructure, the management of dangerous substances, crisis and emergency management and security services. Moreover, European Standards underpin the deployment of European innovation activities. 

 

 

“European Standards definitely contributed to making the EU Single Market a reality, thus strengthening Europe’s competitiveness. They dismantle barriers to trade and support companies – large, medium-sized and small ones alike – by bringing to market competitive products and services that are in high demand all over the world,” emphasizes Austrian Standards’ Managing Director Elisabeth Stampfl-Blaha. 

 

European Standards are an essential element to successfully and securely address the challenges of digitization, whilst enabling the exploitation of innovations. Austrian Standards, has partnered with several European projects under Horizon 2020 and looks forward to further strengthening the link between research, innovation and standardization under Horizon Europe. 

 

European Standards are often developed in close cooperation with the international standardization organizations ISO and IEC, and therefore contribute to a competitive, smart, innovative and sustainable European industry. 

 

CEN and Austrian Standards look forward to engaging with the Austrian Council Presidency to raise the understanding on the benefits standardization plays at a European and international level. 

 

Download the full press release (pdf format)

 

Media contact:

Sarah Penny

Director Strategy & Governance

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre

Email: spenny@cencenelec.eu