What are standards?

Standards are documents, established by consensus based on the consolidated results of science, technologies and experience.

Standards are commonly recognized rules and provisions. They can include comprehensive technical specifications (characteristics and requirements to products), procedures for product production, testing and conformity assessment methods.

The application of standards provides better efficiency in the production of products, improves quality of services and contributes to meet the highest level of clients and consumers expectations. To increase the trust of society in standards, it is important to ensure the wider participation of interested groups in the development and discussion of standards. Standards are developed, revised, amended, modified or withdrawn depending on the innovations in the science and technology’s development. In response to society and market needs the necessity of standards development is every day increasing.

Standards are directly related to everyday life and to the working conditions. There is a tendency of increasing the number of standards in the field of services. Very often we don’t even realize that standards contribute to making life simpler, safer and healthier. Standards are a tool for information. Standards are basis for facilitating the global trade and for enabling the communication between partners. They support the economic development.

What are the benefits of standards?

• they increase the safety of products
• serve as a basis for improving the quality of products or services
• ensure strong characteristics of products, processes and services
• ensure that products are fit for their purpose and consistently perform in the way they were intended
• serve as a basis for conformity assessment
• lead to better efficiency in the use of resources in the process of product production
• support the legislation in the process of preparation and implementation of technical regulations
• give the opportunity to the producers to fulfill the European legislation
• serve as a basis for establishing agreements concerning the technical requirements and provisions
• increase producers competitive edge
• contribute to the removal of technical barriers to trade
• facilitate the maintenance of ecological global balance
• contribute to the protection of environment
• reflect up-to-date scientific researches and technologies development
• contribute to the mutual understanding between partners

The recent studies have asserted that in Europe by development, implementation and application of standards around 15 milliard Euros per year have been saved for carrying out researches and for developing new technologies in the production sector.