In 2023, the European internal market celebrates its 30th anniversary. Just as the internal market is considered to be one of the pillars of European integration, European standardization is in its turn one of the pillars of the European market. Therefore, on this Europe Day, the DKE celebrates a European standardization system that has proven its worth and is of increased importance for the European Union, not only in the consolidation of its internal market, but above all if it wants to meet the many challenges that lie ahead with climate change, the post-pandemic period and the consequences of the war in Ukraine. Indeed, in order to achieve its objectives of technological sovereignty and environmental ambitions, the European Union needs a competitive standardization system, which can be a leader and bearer of European values at international level. And who better than the European Standardization Organizations and their National Members to do this?
Cheers to 30 years of the single market - a success story also thanks to European standardization
European Standardization Strategy
The European Commission published its proposal for a European Standardization Strategy in 2022. This strategy aims to make the European standardization system agile, efficient and future-proof.
A reason to celebrate the “Single Market at 30”: the strategic role of the European standardization system now fully recognized
With each anniversary of the internal market, we celebrate new success stories in the electrotechnical sector, and our experts continue to work hard every day to create new ones. In the traditional fields of low voltage, Ecodesign, Electromagnetic compatibility, to name a few, the progress made thanks to European standardization is well known. At present, our German experts are increasingly active at European level in areas that touch on the twin transition (digital & green) such as cybersecurity, the Digital Product Passport, the energy transition, batteries, and artificial intelligence.
DKE main reason to celebrate this new milestone of the 30 years of European Standards supporting the Single Market is a political one: in February 2022, the European Commission published its European Standardization Strategy – an important recognition for a European Standardization System (formalized by the Regulation 1025/2012 on European standardization) that is unique in the world in its principle of national delegation and its inclusiveness. The Commission's Standardization Strategy strengthens the public-private partnership between European standardizers and the European Commission and provides guidelines for the future. And above all, it finally recognizes how strategic standards are in EU’s competitiveness and leadership. This recognition was already acquired on the side of the European companies but was until the Strategy formally missing on the side of the European politicians.
“Standardization and standardization organizations such as CENELEC and ETSI are finally getting the recognition they deserve for their important and strategic role in the EU single market and beyond. CENELEC's national committees and ETSI's national standards bodies see their role strengthened by the strategy, thanks in part to the broader stakeholder network and inclusiveness they guarantee," said Michael Teigeler Managing Director of DKE, welcoming the 2022 European Commission Standardization Strategy.
Standardization and policy: Together and for the benefit of people
Standardization policy-related action is what makes the development process of standards and specifications possible in the first place. Its purpose is to disseminate, improve and fully demonstrate the extensive benefits of standards and specifications for society, economy, science and state.
For more anniversaries’ celebration around the contribution of standards to the Single Market in the future: attracting new generation of experts as a challenge
Overcoming the growing lack of experts in the electrotechnical sector is key for the future success of the Single Market. This lack has a direct impact on standardization experts of course. Furthermore, standardization suffers from a lack of understanding and involvement from engineers themselves. It is essential to increase the visibility of standardization activities among engineers, raising their interest in participation and innovation in standardization activities.
National standards organizations need to lay the groundwork now to ensure that there is a continuing expertise in the standardization electrotechnical field and participation of European experts to shape and develop standards under the European umbrella. It is essential to prepare for the future and attract new European standardization experts, especially young professionals.
DKE is already at full speed to attract the new generation of standardizers. With our DKE Next Generation program, we are committed to training young German professionals and giving them a voice. We give them a seat on our boards, organize training courses for young professionals and training camps. We also facilitate their participation in European and international standardization.
But the challenge exists also at European level with hopes that the EU will be to be able to set up a formalized and successful European education program on standardization, which will ensure that Europe keeps its leadership in the standardization field.
For more internationally relevant information about DKE, check out our LinkedIn channel:
- get into the depths of international, standardization-related topics;
- consolidate and expand your knowledge with new formats and interesting technical information;
- network with colleagues and experts from all over the world;
- stay informed about important news and events as usual.
DKE communication campaign on "30 years of standards supporting the Single Market"
Every standardizers have their own reason(s) to celebrate how standards are strategically contributing to the Single Market. Our campaign will showcase success stories and statements from our experts and stakeholders but also from the EU and German policymakers’ side.
At DKE, to kick-off this 2023 campaign, we interviewed our DKE President, Dr. Bettenhausen, our Director Manager, Mr. Teigeler, as well as the President of CENELEC, Mr. Wolfgang Niedziella to ask them what their reasons for celebration are, as well as to let us know what challenges they see for the coming years and decades.
Follow-us and our partners’ campaigns too on social media with the hashtag #SingleMarket30 and share us your stories and experience.
Contact for the campaign: Celine Oeyen, Manager EU Policy & Stakeholders, DKE Brussels Representation
