3. European standardization (CEN)

European standardization is handled by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), set up in 1961, as well as by the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) and the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).

Legally independent of the European Union (EU), CEN is an international association under Belgian law. Its headquarters are in Brussels. It is made up of the standards institutes of the EU countries, as well as those of the European Association of Free Trade Countries (EFTA). In addition to the 15 EU countries, it currently includes Switzerland, Norway and Iceland, making a total of 18 countries, which will be extended in 2004 to the other countries of the Europe of 25 (including Malta, Lithuania, Estonia, Slovenia, Poland, etc.).

Although independent of the Community, the CEN can nevertheless...