The role we have in Europe
ETSI plays a key role in supporting regulation and legislation with technical standards and specifications. To do this we co-operate with other organizations including:
- the European Commission (EC);
- the European Free Trade Association (EFTA);
- the Electronic Communications Committee (ECC) of the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT).
Supporting European regulation & legislation
We are recognized by the European Union (EU) as one of the three official European Standards Organizations (ESO) under Regulation 1025/2012. Our work supports the policies of the EU and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). In particular we produce standards to support European regulation and legislation. These are defined in Regulations, Directives and Decisions developed by the EU.
Specifically, we produce Harmonised Standards (European Standards (ENs) with a special status). By adhering to these standards, manufacturers and service providers can claim ‘presumption of conformity’ with the essential requirements of a directive (by self-declaration). This saves them from having to go through costly type approval processes in different member states. Manufacturers can also then use the well-recognized CE marking for their products. This helps ensure the free movement of goods within the Single European Market. It also enables enterprises in the EU to be more competitive.
ANEC, ECOS, ETUC and SBS are Partner Organizations of ETSI, and are recognised as “Annex III Organizations” under Regulation (EU) 1025/2012. The regulation requires that the participation of ANEC, ECOS, ETUC and SBS is supported and facilitated by the European Standardization Organizations. Through this regulation, the Annex III Organizations also receive European public financing.
- ANEC is the European consumer voice in standardisation, promoting and defending the collective consumer interests in the processes of technical standardisation, conformity assessment, accreditation and market surveillance as well as related legislation and public policies.
- ECOS, Environmental Coalition on Standards, is an international NGO with a network of members and experts advocating for environmentally friendly technical standards, policies, and laws.
- ETUC, the European Trade Union Confederation speaks with a single voice on behalf of European workers to ensure that the EU is not just a single market for goods and services, but is also a Social Europe, where improving the wellbeing of workers and their families is an equally important priority.
- SBS, Small Business Standards, is the voice of European SMEs in the standardisation process. SBS is a European non-profit association representing and defending Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in standardisation.
Cooperation between the European Standards Organizations
We work in close cooperation with CEN and CENELEC, the other two European Standards Organizations (ESOs). Our work particularly focuses on matters that are the subject of an EC standardization request. Although the three ESOs deal with different sectors, we have common interests. Information Technology and telecommunications are converging. We need to coordinate our policies and our work programmes to avoid overlapping activities and to increase efficiency.
ETSI, CEN and CENELEC have had a joint cooperation agreement in place since 1990. This enables us to create joint technical committees to produce joint standards. These standards are then published by all three bodies.
We manage our coordination in the ‘Joint Presidents’ Group’. This is a forum for top-level agreements between the ESOs on matters of common policy.
Informal exchanges also take place between our technical committees through common members and experts. There are joint groups to coordinate activities.
In addition, the ESOs have Seconded European Standardization Experts working in India (the SESEI project) and China (the SESEC project). The aim is to promote cooperation with these countries on standards, related policies and regulation.
In December 2022, the three ESOs jointly with the EC and EFTA published the outcome of a joint Task Force. This TF was created to work together on short, medium and long term solutions to address strategic and operational matters that enables the European standardization system to deliver a green, digital and resilient Single Market.
Read the flyer here
Work with our National Standards Organizations
We work closely with the National Standards Organizations (NSOs) in the European countries.
In particular, all our ENs become the national standards of the different EU/EFTA member states. The NSOs are responsible for organizing the Public Enquiry in their respective country as part of the EN approval process. They also submit the national position (the ‘vote’) on the standard.