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Understanding the principles of standardisation

The standards / norms can be defined as a written attestation containing specific techniques / technologies associated with the products and guaranteeing their qualities and versatility in use. Possession of this document is in no way obligatory, except if they are resulting from a ruling or a directive. The standards / norms are in most cases different in different countries. This is the reason why the companies must in certain cases adapt their products to foreign markets. The standards / norms are often considered in international trade as technical obstacles ( non tariff barriers ).

Certification | Different Types of Standards / Norms | I.S.O. | How to go about these norms | Services

Certification

Standardisation, even though it may be considered as a constraint, remains necessary for giving value to the quality of products and the company in the eyes of its clients. On the national territory, certification of a product facilitates the winning of confidence of the consumers and enables a company to distinguish itself among its competitors. As for the foreign markets, the companies are more and more confronted with technical norms. Certification is one of the steps by which a third party gives a written insurance for the product. This certification is applied after obtaining results of analyses, checks and technical audits. It aims at giving confidence to the clients and improving the image of your company.

There are two types of certifications:

• Product certification and service certification attesting the safety and reliability of products towards consumers.
• Company certification which demonstrates conformity of the company's quality system.

Different Types of Standards / Norms

Compulsory Technical Norms

On a national scale, laws or decrees are voted regularly in order to ensure security, health and protection of environment. On the European level the directives of the European community formulate the same types of requirements and give birth to norms of an obligatory character. The companies must therefore adapt their products so that they could satisfy those requirements. Other technical norms prescribed by the standards institutions will be made compulsory. The CEN / ECS (European Committee of Standardisation ) demands standardisation of the community trade mark CE / EC in order to prove respect for requirements laid down by the directive under consideration. Thus, obtaining a European norm can enable a product to penetrate each of the Member States of the European Community.

At the National level, institutions such as ELOT / HOS (Hellenic Organization for Standardization) IBN / BSI (Belgian Standards Institute) in Belgium, AFNOR / FSA (French Standards Association) in France, the DIN / GSI (German Standards Institute) in Germany or ANSI (American National Standards Institute) in the United States activate and coordinate the totality of the system of development of norms which the countries need. A company which does not respect these prescriptions shall be refused entry in a foreign market in case the check is carried out before its penetration of the market. On the other hand, if the checking takes place after the entry in to the market, the company will be under obligation to withdraw immediately its products from the market and shall be subjected to penalties and legal actions. Like in most countries, following the national (Hellenic) standards is voluntary - however, an increasing number of these standards become mandatory under European or national law.

Optional Technical Norms

The optional technical norms cover all economic sectors. They are created on a world scale by the International Standards Organisations (ISO) or International Electro Technical Commission (CEI / IEC), by the CEN on a European plane or by the National Institutions. These certifications attest conformity of products and compatibility of the quality system of a company vis-à-vis the foreign market.

At present, non observation of these so called optional norms has a tendency to create a commercial handicap for companies and even a total incapacity to get access to certain market. Opening of economies promotes the development of standardisation which is more and more recognised in the commercial world. International Standardisation aims at ensuring honest competition and putting in place common references recognised among countries. Obtaining these norms is, therefore, indispensable for the smooth functioning of international trade and exchange.

The ISO norms recognising hundreds of countries avoid embarrassments to the companies caused by imposition of very distant norms which would correspond to only one country and which would create superfluous costs.

I.S.O.

The ISO or International Standards Organisation plays a great role in the development of standardisation in the world. The ISO aims at harmonizing the norms on a worldwide scale and removing the image of non tariff barrier which is associated with them.

International standardisation relates to all the sectors of activities and contributes to rationalisation of international trade and exchange.

What is ISO ?

International Standards Organisation is the World Federation which was created in 1947. The development of Standardisation is the prime objective of ISO. The negotiations which took place within this organisation gave birth to norms that are recognised in a large number of countries. The ISO norms today cover all the fields, except engineering and electronics, which belong to the scope of CEI. The ISO was created with the objective of creating valid norms on an industrial scale and applicable at the international level and create a unique trade and business language. The ISO maintains working relationship with National Organisations. Hence, collaboration between CEN and ISO allows, for instance, certain norms to be as much recognised on the territory of EEC as in some third countries.

ISO 9000 : a world norm

The International Standards Organisation today has to its credit 9300 international norms which are classified into nearly 200 different fields. Although the majority of the ISO norms are applicable on an international scale the ISO 9000 norm is recognised throughout the world for validating quality. The ISO 9000 does not directly concern quality of products, but it sets up a quality system in the manufacturing industries or in service undertakings. Obtaining the ISO 9000 norm demonstrates to the clients the mastery achieved in the processes used for manufacturing products. There are three reference points or criteria of ISO :

• ISO 9001 ensures the quality of activities ranging from designing to after-sales service.
• The ISO 9002 refers to the same activities except for the phase of designing.
• The ISO 9003 ensures quality relating to its control and final testing.

The ISO 9000 norms are closely connected to quality of products, but they certify only the quality system in a company. This quality procedure is very much appreciated in the mutual relationship of companies. It inspires confidence among trade and business partners and satisfies the requirements of orders. The ISO 9000 creates the possibility of distinguishing oneself in competition and it facilitates international trade and exchange. At present, the ISO 9000 is adopted by 70 countries in the world.

How to go about these norms ?

The normative procedure presumes before anything else an identification of different fields of prescriptions which concern the product and a search for technical norms corresponding to the targeted markets/contracts. The National Institution publishes catalogues of norms and standards which can be consulted and offers a primary approach to standardisation. After research for getting information, the next step consist in studying seriously different texts and evaluating the project of standardisation. Then the product is developed as per the norm or standard defined and then technical modifications are made in order that the product conforms to the norms. Finally, the company develops a file on standardisation and submits its products to the tests of the controlling institution in the target country or to a Belgian laboratory authorised to deliver certificate to the target country.

As for the quality procedure (ISO 9000), it is different because the ratification concerns directly the company in question; it is going to demonstrate the conformity and mastery of the quality system in the company. The company is going to be subjected to an identification questionnaire which will give rise to an audit contract.

The certifying institution carries out audit and sends the report to the company. The file will then be examined and as per the result of the audit the certificate will be delivered to that company.

Services

Emporiki-Trade proposes you to receive an estimate for identification and purchase of the text of the norm for your use corresponding to your product in the country of your choice.

Useful addresses

EETT – National Telecommunications and Post Commission
60 Kifissias Avenue, 151 25 Maroussi, Athens, Greece
Tel. +30 1 6151000 fax. +30 1 61050

ELOT - Hellenic Organization for Standardization
313 Acharnon Str, 111 45 Athens, Greece
Tel:00 30 1 2120100, Fax: 00 30 1 228 30 34

EKT – National Documentation Center
48 Vas. Constandinou Avenue, 11635, Athens
Tel +30 1 72.46.824

European Committee for Standardization - CEN
36, rue de Stassart, B-1050 Brussels
Tel: + 32 2 550 08 11 Fax: + 32 2 550 08 19

European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization - CENELEC
35, rue de Stassart, B-1050 Brussels
Tel: + 32 2 519 68 71 Fax: + 32 2 519 69 19

European Telecommunications Standards Institute ETSI
650, route des Lucioles, Sophia Antipolis, France
Tel.: +33 (0)4 92 94 43 11 Fax: +33 (0)4 92 38 52 99

International Standards Organisation (ISO)
1, Rue de Varembé - Case Postale 56 - CH - 1211 Geneva 20 - Switzerland
Tel : +41 227 490 111 - Fax : +41 227 333 430

International Electronics Commission (IEC)
3, rue de Varembé - Case postale 131 - CH-1211 Geneva 20 - Switzerland
Tel : +41 229 190 211 - Fax : +41 229 190 300
E-mail : info@iec.ch