The first Balkan conference on standardization which was organized by the Institute for Standardization of Republic of Macedonia (ISRM) was held in Ohrid from 14 to 16 June 2011. Representatives of standardization bodies from Serbia, Croatia, Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina participated at the conference along with Mrs. Elena Santiago, CEN/CENELEC Director General.

Institute for Standardization of Bosnia and Herzegovina was represented by Mr. Goran Tesanovic, Director of the Institute and Mr. Sead Bekic, Deputy Director. The main theme of the conference was introduction and discussion on conditions for CEN/CENELEC membership, which members and prospective members must fulfill.   

During the first day of the conference representatives of standardizing institutions from the region presented activities undertaken to fulfill the conditions for full membership in CEN/CENELEC and shared their experiences. 

On the second day, Mrs. Elena Santiago presented to the participants new criteria for membership in CEN/CENELEC. The possibilities of regional cooperation and joint work for fulfilling the conditions for full membership in these organizations were discussed, as well as the ways and possibilities of assistance provided by Member States.  

Within the conference a bilateral agreement on business and technical cooperation between the Institute for Standardization of Macedonia (ISRM) and the Institute for Standardization of Serbia (ISS) is signed, as well as agreements between Croatian Standards Institute (HZN) and the Institute for Standardization of Macedonia (ISRM) and Institute for Standardization of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BAS) and Albanian General Directorate of Standardization (DPS).

Participants agreed to continue with the organization of regional conferences of this type aiming to exchange experience and improve cooperation. It is proposed that the Croatian Standards Institute (HZN) host the next conference, while the Institute for Standardization of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BAS) shall host the event in 2013.