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Every day, millions of Europeans use household appliances: dishwashers, kitchen and washing machines, tumble dryers, warming plates, and many others. In close cooperation with its IEC counterpart, CLC/TC 61 ‘Safety of household and similar electrical appliances’ develops safety requirements for electrical appliances primarily for household purposes, but also for other equipment and appliances in similar fields where there is no IEC or CENELEC Technical Committee in existence.

The work of CLC/TC 61 proceeds at a rapid pace due to the growing world-wide use of international safety standards, the increased interest in certification and the rising number of appliances falling under its scope. To give some numbers, the value of trade in electrical appliances in Europe amounts to billions of euros. The regulatory environment applied to electrical appliances varies from country to country, but manufacturers usually must contend with either a performance-based regulatory environment or a pre-market intervention regulatory environment. In both cases, standards are vital for the appliance industry, as they help it manage the risks associated with electricity.

CLC/TC 61 has an important portfolio of standards cited in the Official Journal of the European Union under the Low-voltage and Machinery directives. Furthermore, the use of electronic circuits (including programmable elements) to provide a safety-related function and the effects of electromagnetic phenomena on them significantly impacts the design of future appliances. In addition, manufacturers are increasingly using telecommunications network to enable remote control and servicing of appliances that incorporate programmed electronic circuits. The development of more powerful and compact batteries has led to their use for powering an ever-increasing range of appliances. All these aspects have a significant impact in the development of appliance safety.

Based on this, in 2024, CLC/TC 61 will continue the development of safety standards as part of the EN IEC 60335 series on the safety of household appliances. The TC will finalise the work on general requirements, particular requirements for kitchen machines, cooking pans, electric griddles, whirlpool baths and microwave appliances.

Semiconductors are crucial in a very broad and growing number of sectors: communication, information technology, health care, transportation, energy, and infrastructure. However, securing tiny, intricate semiconductor chips throughout the whole value chain can be challenging. The increasing complexity involved in the design, development, manufacturing, integration, and post-deployment use of microelectronics presents new security risks and vulnerabilities. Consequently, it is key for CENELEC to ensure that users of electronic devices, but also manufacturers, have access to secure and reliable chips.

CENELEC’s activities on semiconductors has begun with a definition of a standardization roadmap. This activity has been taken up by DKE, the German National Electrotechnical Committee, under the EU-funded project ‘Trusted Chips’, which started with a DKE Stakeholder Workshop Semiconductors. The main aim of this project is to develop a roadmap which provides clear terminology and an overview of the current situation in semiconductor standardization throughout the whole value chain, helps identify gaps and needs in standardization, proposes further steps and activities, and sets the scene for the revision of European standardization deliverables supporting EU legislation and the industry. The preparation of the roadmap will also take into consideration the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA).

To further support the standardization activities in the field of semiconductor devices, the CENELEC technical board established a new Technical Committee, CLC/TC 47X ‘Semiconductor devices and trusted chips’. Its kick-off meeting is scheduled for January 2024. The TC’s work will be based on the outcome of the project ‘Trusted Chips’ and will follow a gap analysis for existing standards anda roadmap for new standards based on the identified gaps. CLC/TC 47X will also follow the activities of IEC/TC 47.

For 2024, some of the initial tasks of CLC/TC 47X will be:

• Clarification of the relationship and potential liaisons with CENELEC’s 2023 program with a focus on ‘’Electrotechnology’ and related Technical Committees;
• Review of existing semiconductor standards relevant to Trusted Chips, such as IEC/TC 47 and other industry associations;
• List, collate, and support, all actions from the Trusted Chips and from Secretary Reports relevant to CLC/TC 47X.

OVERHEAD ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS

CLC/TC 7X ‘Overhead electrical conductors’ continues to be closely aligned with IEC/TC 7 on several projects, such as EN 62818 ‘Conductors for overhead lines - Fiber reinforced composite core used as supporting member material’, and the upcoming revision of EN 50182 ‘Conductors for overhead lines - Round wire concentric lay stranded conductors’, which includes the merger with EN 50540 ‘Conductors for overhead lines - Aluminium Conductors Steel Supported (ACSS)’.

ELECTRICAL ENERGY MEASUREMENT

For its part, CLC/TC 13 ‘Electrical energy measurement and control’ is responsible for standardization on measuring systems for supply equipment to electric vehicles. In 2024, the TC’s Working Group 3 will continue to work on EN 50732, with the aim to establish common metrological requirements for the electrical vehicle charging station regarding their compliance with MID. This standard can enhance European consumer protection during the charging process and the payment process.
The TC will also continue to work on the harmonization of international standards such as the EN IEC 62056-series ‘Electricity metering data exchange’, which includes new communication technologies: Wi-SUN and LPWAN.

The TC will also develop other standards to be cited within the OJEU for MID and/or EMCD (EN IEC 62052-11:2021/A11:2022; EN 50470-3:2022; and EN 50470-4:2023.

BATTERIES

In 2024, CLC/TC 21X ‘Secondary cells and batteries’ will mainly focus on developing harmonized standards to support M/579.
In addition, the TC will continue working on the standards needed for scaling up and providing a safe market deployment and integration for various kinds of energy storage and new technologies that allow the smooth integration of renewable energy. Finally, CLC/TC 21X will also explore new standards to make electrification sustainable.

POWER ELECTRONICS

In 2024, CLC/TC 22X ‘Power electronics’ will continue to prepare and adapt international standards in the context of Energy Management, Sustainable Energy, and Ecodesign. On the latter, CLC/TC 22X will start developing a new European standard for anticipating the compliance of power electronics with the upcoming ESPR regulation.

HOUSEHOLD PLUGS AND SOCKET OUTLETS

In 2024, CLC/TC 23BX ‘Switches, boxes and enclosures for household and similar purposes, plugs and socket outlet for D.C.’ will continue working on parts of the European EN 60670 series on boxes and enclosures for electrical accessories for household and similar fixed electrical installations, in the frame of the LVD.
Furthermore, the TC expects to continue working on the EN IEC 60669-2 series on switches for household and similar fixed electrical installations.

LIGHTING

CLC/TC 34 ‘Lighting’ develops European standards on electrical light sources including lamps, lamp caps and holders, lamp control gear and luminaires. In 2024, CLC/TC 34 will finalise the new edition of prEN IEC 60598-1 ‘Luminaires – Par 1: General requirements and tests’, which will be offered for citation under the Low Voltage Directive.

ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS

CLC/TC 64 ‘Electrical installations and protection against electric shock’ is responsible for standardization on the protection against electric shock arising from equipment, installations, and systems without limit of voltage. The TC will continue working on several projects in the frame of the HD 60364 series.
In 2024, CLC/TC 121A ‘Low-voltage switchgear and controlgear’ will continue working on the project prEN IEC 60947-10 ‘Low-voltage switchgear and controlgear – Part 10: Semiconductor Circuit-Breakers’.

OPTICAL RADIATION AND LASER EQUIPMENT

CLC/TC76 ‘Optical radiation safety and laser equipment’ develops international standards related to laser and other optical radiation safety. Products incorporating lasers or non-coherent optical sources are potentially hazardous because they can burn a person’s retina, or even the skin. By specifying the limits and the calculation methods, standards help define the requirements for manufacturers and minimize the risk for accidents.
In 2024 the TC will continue working to align existing international standards with EU requirements.

MEASURING EQUIPMENT FOR ELECTRICAL AND ELECTROMAGNETIC QUANTITIES

CLC/TC 85X ‘Measuring equipment for electrical and electromagnetic quantities’ works on standards that ensure that the electrical equipment used to power the All-Electric Society is calibrated and installed correctly.
In 2024, the TC will work to harmonize edition 5 of IEC EN 60688 ‘Electrical measuring transducers for converting a.c. electrical quantities to analogue or digital signals’ with the LVD and EMCD.

GAS DETECTORS

In 2024, CLC/TC 216 ‘Gas detectors’ will conclude its work on EN 50194-1:2023 ‘Electrical apparatus for the detection of combustible gases in domestic premises - Part 1: Test methods and performance requirements’ and continue the development of prEN 50725 ‘Specification for portable electrical apparatus designed to measure draught and gas pressure of heating appliances and systems’.

Furthermore, the TC intends to propose a new project, EN 50545-2 ‘Electrical apparatus for the detection and measurement of toxic and combustible gases in car parks and tunnels – Part 2: Tunnel applications’.