Business sectors

In 2024, CEN and CENELEC will continue to raise awareness among the European standardization community about the value of European Standards in support of the EU strategy to build resilience and achieve the twin green and digital transitions.

Standards play a crucial role in fighting climate change by establishing benchmarks for sustainable practices, ensuring consistency in measurement, and promoting the adoption of clean technologies. They are key tools that complement national and European policies aiming to lead the transition towards a green economy and reach the climate target of net zero by 2050.

In this context, CEN and CENELEC committed in January 2022 to accelerating the successful achievement of the Paris Agreement, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the United Nations Call for Action on Adaptation and Resilience and signed the London Declaration. This document is a shared commitment from the international standardization community to contribute to climate goals.

In 2024, CEN and CENELEC will pursue the development of standards embedding key climate considerations into standard development and educating TCs about the value of standards in relation to climate change mitigation.

One of the bodies responsible for this plan is the Adaptation to Climate Change Coordination Group (ACC CG), which will resume its work in 2024. Its first task will be to identify key standards for climate change mitigation and review existing guidance documents for standards writers. The coordination group will take the role of active assistance to standardization work in mainstreaming climate adaptation into EU standards.

Also, in 2024, CEN and CENELEC will continue to raise awareness among the European standardization community on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). An ongoing mapping activity aims to promote the links between the SDGs and standards to explore new opportunities and strengthen synergies between stakeholders.

In 2024, CEN and CENELEC will continue with their ambition to support the implementation of the European Green Deal through standardization. A new area of activity, and one of the focus points for 2024, is standardization in the field of Circular Economy.

CEN/TC 473 ‘Circular Economy’ was established in 2023 to strengthen the European voice within global standardization activities around circular economy. This newly established European counterpart to ISO/TC 323 ‘Circular Economy’ will focus on developing horizontal standards related to European specific prerequisites, legislation, and policy. Standards in the field aim to provide recommendations, requirements, methodologies, and tools to support and measure the transition of the market.

The CEN and CENELEC joint Technical Committee CEN-CLC/JTC 10 ‘Material efficiency aspects for products in scope of Ecodesign legislation’ will finalize its work on EN 45560 ‘Method to achieve circular designs of products’. This document proposes a method to define rules for the design of circular products. It details principles, requirements and guidance associated with the proposed method. Based on the lifecycle thinking, this document will provide guidance on how to reduce environmental impacts, and how to deal with challenges such as trade-offs during circular product design, without compromising functions and safety.

Moreover, CEN/TC 466 ‘Circularity and recyclability of fishing gear and aquaculture equipment’ will continue in 2024 the work addressing the requirements of Standardization Request M/574 in support of Directive (EU) 2019/904’ on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment, in order to encourage preparing for re-use and facilitate recyclability at end of life.

The standard(s) for circular design of fishing gear (such as the series prEN 17988) should provide a level playing field for the industry to develop a higher quality and environmentally friendly fishing gear that can be easily reused or recycled at the end of life. It will also provide the industry the opportunity to act sustainably for a healthier planet. These standards will be finalized by the end of 2024.

DIGITAL PRODUCT PASSPORT

Newly established CEN-CLC/JTC 24 ‘Digital Product Passport’ will start in early 2024 with the horizontal coordination of standards development for the creation of an interoperable Digital Product Passport (DPP) system. The DPP will collect, organize, and store information in efficient and secure ways. It will include relevant product specific information to promote circularity, sustainability, legal compliance, and all existing information related to a product during his entire lifecycle.

The DPP will be mandatory for many product groups and is one of the main pillars to implement the EU battery regulation (Regulation 2023/1542) and the Ecodesign for Sustainable Product Regulation (ESPR).

WASTE MANAGEMENT

The deliverables of CEN/TC 183 ‘Waste management’ specify technical requirements to, on the one hand, minimize significant hazards and hazardous situations which may occur during the collection and transportation of waste, and, on the other, increase the efficiency of waste disposal processes.

In 2024, the Committee will start the revision of the EN 1501 series ‘Refuse collection vehicles - General requirements and safety requirements’ to incorporate and cover the new and updated Essential Health and Safety Requirements of the Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230.

CEN/TC 183 also expects to adopt ISO 24162 on environmental efficiency of refuse collection vehicles as its first EN ISO standard. This standard will specify a uniform, reproducible testing process for various drive units, chassis, constructions and lifting devices for refuse collection vehicles, with which a comparison of energy consumption can be performed.

Furthermore, the TC will finalize a work item on ‘Waste management — Mobile IT systems - Requirements for the XML interface Office-Mobile’. This new standard will define the digital data exchange between the dispatching stationary unit (office) and the mobile units of the refuse collection vehicles. With the standardization of this interface, it will be possible to combine the management software with different subsystems of the mobile vehicle equipment without having to make one-time and recurring interface agreements.

AIR QUALITY

CEN/TC 264 ‘Air quality’ performs many ongoing activities to strengthen CEN and CENELEC’s ambitions for environmental protection. In 2024, it will continue following the latest technical research and policy developments. The Committee will pursue the development of standards under M/562, describing technical solutions for measuring volatile organic compounds listed in Directive 2008/50/EU on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe (such as ethane or ethylene).

CEN/TC 264 will also focus on the execution of the active Standardization Request M/588 (Industrial emissions: measurement methods for PCBs, mercury, and formaldehyde) in support of Directive 2010/75/E. M/588 lays down rules on integrated prevention and control of pollution arising from industrial activities. The development of new European standards for monitoring emissions will contribute to the achievement of objectives of the European Green Deal and to better monitor, report, prevent and remedy pollution from air.

BIOMASS

CEN/TC 383 ‘Sustainably produced biomass for energy applications’ provides agreements for producers to implement sustainable production, for certifiers to assess for conformity, and for authorities to set requirements for biomass. The objective is to address sustainability principles, criteria, and indicators, including greenhouse gas emissions savings, chain-of-custody aspects, their verification, and auditing schemes, which primarily support EU legislation.

In 2024, the Committee will publish two standards, part of the EN16214 series on ‘Sustainability and greenhouse gas emission saving criteria for biomass for energy applications - Principles, criteria, indicators and verifiers’. Those documents are focusing on 'Terminology' and 'Sustainability criteria related to environmental aspects'. These standards will be in line with Directive 2018/2001/EU, the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II). 

CEN/TC 383 is also planning further standardization activities for 2024 based on the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED III). As a part of the ‘Fit for 55’ package, the reduction of net greenhouse gas emissions will create the need for new standards of sustainably produced biomass, and CEN/TC 383 aims to discuss how to facilitate the deployment of renewables and make the European Green Deal a reality.

CLIMATE CHANGE

CEN/TC 467 ‘Climate Change’ in 2024 will continue working on a European standard for ‘Industrial decarbonization - Requirements and guidelines for sectoral transition plans’. The document specifies a roadmap framework definition (timeline, decarbonization objectives, etc.), a sectoral inventory, modelling and definition of trajectories, and an action plan for actors in the industrial sector. It is intended to support companies execute their commitments to transition in line with governance or methodological baselines. The standard is of particular importance to standardize practices, strengthen trust between stakeholders, and ensure the quality of the transition plan.

Other activities of CEN/TC 467 expected for 2024 include, among others, the start of work on a standard about carbon footprint quantification for events and a standard covering climate change mitigation guidelines for local authorities.

SUSTAINABLE FINANCE

Newly established CEN/TC 475 ‘Finance’ will address sustainable finance in a European context, integrating relevant ISO standardization activities and complementing existing initiatives and regulations. This will facilitate informed decision-making and sustainable investments, which ultimately contributes to the alignment of the financial system with global sustainability goals. 

For more information on the TC's work, go to the 'Services' chapter.