On 14 May, the European Committee of Standardization (CEN), the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) and Big Data Value Association (BVDA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to advance their mutual cooperation in the strategic field of Big Data Value and AI standardization.

The MoU establishes regular forms of collaboration and exchanges between CEN, CENELEC and BDVA. In particular, the three organisations pledge to increase cooperation and share knowledge about all relevant developments in the field of Big Data and AI, and to discuss the role of standardization in fostering their widespread adoption. The aim of the agreement is to contribute to enhancing the industry and meet stakeholders needs to maintain Europe’s competitiveness through digitalisation.

Digital technologies are a strategic asset for the European economy, especially to help the economy restart after a crisis. For this reason, digitalisation is considered as a priority by the European Recovery Plan recently presented by the European Commission. By allowing the sharing of know-how between three organisations which, through their extensive expertise, are committed to ensure the development of a well-functioning and trustworthy AI in Europe, this agreement is a welcome and ambitious step.

As BDVA’s President, Thomas Hahn, highlighted, “the upcoming AI, Data and Robotics partnership will bring research and innovation activities closer to deployment and user uptake. Therefore, collaboration with CEN and CENELEC will become even more critical to drive the needed international standardization. BDVA looks forward to working closely with CEN-CENELEC for the development of a strategic dialogue in this domain.”

CEN and CENELEC Director General Elena Santiago Cid added: “New technologies provide lots of opportunities for businesses big and small. CEN and CENELEC are committed to ensure that the deployment of AI and the use of big data in Europe are as secure and trustworthy as possible, to the benefit of all stakeholders. To help us establish a roadmap for AI standardization, in 2019 we established the CEN-CENELEC Focus Group on Artificial Intelligence. I am looking forward to working on this important issue in the coming years”.

CEN and CENELEC

CEN (European Committee for Standardization) and CENELEC (European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization) are recognized by the European Union (EU) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) as European Standardization Organizations responsible for developing standards at European level. These standards set out specifications and procedures in relation to a wide range of materials, processes, products and services.

The members of CEN and CENELEC are the National Standardization Bodies and National Electrotechnical Committees of 34 European countries. European Standards (ENs) and other standardization deliverables adopted by CEN and CENELEC, are accepted and recognized in all of these countries.

European Standards (ENs) contribute to enhancing safety, improving quality, facilitating cross-border trade and strengthening the European Single Market. They are developed through a process of collaboration among experts nominated by business and industry, research institutes, consumer and environmental organizations, trade unions and other stakeholders. CEN and CENELEC work to promote the international alignment of standards in the framework of technical cooperation agreements with ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission).

CEN website: www.cen.eu

CENELEC website: www.cenelec.eu

CEN-CENELEC website: www.cencenelec.eu

Media contact:

Giovanni Collot

Project Manager Governance & Partnership

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre

BDVA

The Big Data Value Association (BDVA) is an industry-driven international not–for-profit organisation with over 200 members all over Europe and a well-balanced composition of large, small, and medium-sized industries as well as research and user organisations. BDVA is the private counterpart to the European Commission to implement the Big Data Value PPP program. BDVA and the Big Data Value PPP pursue a common shared vision of positioning Europe as the world leader in the creation of Big Data Value. BDVA is also a private member of the EuroHPC JU and one of the main promoters and driving forces of the AI, Data and Robotics Partnership planned for the MFF 2021-27.  The mission of the BDVA is “to develop the Innovation Ecosystem that will enable the data-driven digital transformation in Europe delivering maximum economic and societal benefit, and, achieving and sustaining Europe’s leadership on Big Data Value creation and Artificial Intelligence”. BDVA maintains and fulfils a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for Big Data Value domain, contributes to the Horizon 2020 work programmes and calls for proposals and it monitors the progress of the BDV PPP. BDVA also manages over 25 working groups organised in Task Forces and subgroups, and tackling all the technical and non-technical challenges of Big Data.

Website: http://www.bdva.eu/

Media contact:

Martina Barbero

Operation Manager

Big Data Value Association

T: +32 472 73 66 35

Email: martina.barbero@core.bdva.eu

Twitter: @BDVA_PPP