Goals and principles

General aims of standardization are:

  • Providing that a product, process or service, under specific conditions, serve for its purpose
  • Variety control by selection the optimum number of types and sizes (of products, processes or services)
  • Providing compatibility and interchangeability of different products
  • Safety
  • Health protection
  • Protection of the environment etc.

Principles of standardization

General aims of standardization are: 

  • Consensus
  • Involvement of all stakeholders
  • Publicity
  • State of the art
  • Coherence

1. Consensus

Consensus is a basic standardization principle.

Consensus means general agreement characterized by the absence of sustained opposition to substantial issues by any important part of concerned interests and by a process that involves seeking to take into account the views of all parties concerned and to reconcile any conflicting arguments.

NOTE   Consensus need not imply unanimity.

2. Involvement of all stakeholders

Democratic procedure of preparation of standards supposes including all stakeholders which have right to participate and give their contribution to standards development to be voluntarily implemented.

Stakeholders are legal and private persons interested in processes and results of standardization. (For example: companies, SMEs, governing bodies, scientific and research institutions, conformity assessment bodies, societal organizations, professional associations, individual experts, etc.)

3. Publicity of work

Standards preparation procedure shall be made available to the public from the beginning and in all phases. Public shall be informed accordingly on the beginning of the preparation of  a standard, body that prepares it, document that serves as a basis for its preparation and phases of preparation ( public enquiry on draft standard, issuing of standard).

4. State of the art

Is a developed stage of technical capability at a given time based on the relevant consolidated findings of science, technology and experience.

5. Coherence

Collection of standards shall be coherent, standards can not be conflicted (by establishing new standard for a given subject the old standard shall be withdrawn).