CEN (European Committee for Standardization) and CENELEC (European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ENTSO-E (European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity). The three organisations are committed to ensuring continuous cooperation, including regular exchanges of information and expertise, notably with regard to the development of European Standards and Network Codes that are necessary for efficient and reliable electricity distribution in Europe.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between CEN, CENELEC and ENTSO-E was officially signed by Elena Santiago Cid, Director General of CEN and CENELEC, and Konstantin Staschus, Secretary-General of ENTSO-E, at the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre in Brussels on 9 September. The document establishes a framework for enhancing the cooperation among the three organisations. In particular, it gives ENTSO-E the possibility to nominate experts who will participate in specific standardization activities that are being supported by CEN and/or CENELEC. Similarly, CEN and CENELEC may also nominate experts to participate in relevant technical activities of ENTSO-E.

ENTSO-E is especially interested in working with the European Standardization Organisations (CEN, CENELEC and ETSI) on technical issues related to 'Smart Grids', which support the integration of electrical power from distributed renewable energy sources and empower consumers by enabling them to monitor and manage their energy consumption. ENTSO-E is represented in the CEN-CENELEC-ETSI Smart Grid Coordination Group (SG-CG), which is responsible for ensuring the completion of work requested by the European Commission (under standardization mandate M/490, accepted in June 2011).

CEN, CENELEC and ENTSO-E will coordinate their activities in order to ensure the mutual compatibility of European Standards, which are adopted and published by the national standards organisations of 33 countries, and Network Codes with market, connection and operations rules, which are developed by ENTSO-E and may be adopted as binding EU Regulations by the European Commission and Member States.

Speaking on the occasion of the signing ceremony in Brussels, Elena Santiago Cid, Director General of CEN and CENELEC, said: "We are convinced that the collaboration between ENTSO-E and the European Standardization Organisations will make a positive and important contribution to the successful completion of the European energy market. In particular, our cooperation will help us to ensure that all of the actors involved in the generation and distribution of electricity can benefit from using standards that are fully coherent and compatible with Network Codes and other regulatory requirements."

Konstantin Staschus, Secretary General of ENTSO-E, said: "ENTSO-E strongly welcomes this Memorandum of Understanding with CEN and CENELEC. The European network codes drafted by ENTSO-E and the standards developed by CEN and CENELEC play strong and complementary roles to prepare the European electricity system for challenging changes: increased market integration, rising levels of renewable energy, and customers empowered by smart grid technology. Through establishing a process to exchange expert information and foster cooperation, the MoU aims to ensure consistency between the organisations’ work products and to avoid unnecessary duplication of efforts."