Official website: https://www.cen.eu/Pages/default.aspx

CEN, the European Committee for Standardization, is an association that brings together the National Standardization Bodies of 34 European countries.

CEN is one of three European Standardization Organizations (together with CENELEC and ETSI) that have been officially recognized by the European Union and by the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) as being responsible for developing and defining voluntary standards at European level.

CEN provides a platform for the development of European Standards and other technical documents in relation to various kinds of products, materials, services and processes.

CEN supports standardization activities in relation to a wide range of fields and sectors including: air and space, chemicals, construction, consumer products, defense and security, energy, the environment, food and feed, health and safety, healthcare, ICT, machinery, materials, pressure equipment, services, smart living, transport and packaging.

A European Standard is a standard that has been adopted by one of the three recognized European Standardization Organizations (ESOs): CEN, CENELEC or ETSI. It is produced by all interested parties through a transparent, open and consensus-based process.

European Standards are a key component of the Single European Market. These standards are crucial in facilitating trade and hence have high visibility among manufacturers inside and outside Europe.

Each European Standard is identified by a unique reference code which contains the letters 'EN'. Standards provide individuals, businesses and all kinds or organizations with a common basis for mutual understanding. A standard represents a model specification, a technical solution against which a market can trade. It codifies best practice and is usually state of the art.

The European Standards published by CEN are developed by experts, established by consensus and adopted by the Members of CEN. It is important to note that the use of standards is voluntary, and so there is no legal obligation to apply them.

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