About CEN

CEN's National Members are the National Standardization Bodies (NSBs) of the 27 European Union countries, United Kingdom, the Republic of North Macedonia, Serbia and Türkyie plus three countries of the European Free Trade Association (Iceland, Norway and Switzerland). There is one member per country.

Membership Relations and Monitoring Committee (MRMC)

Since 2012, CEN and CENELEC have in place a voluntary assessment system on a set of criteria for membership which all their national members have to continuously fulfil in order to retain their CEN and/or CENELEC membership. One of the main benefits of this system is that it also encourages the sharing and adoption of good practices among the members.

In September 2017, both CEN and CENELEC General Assemblies approved the revised text on membership criteria and decided to incorporate it into a new 'Part 1D' of the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations. At the same time, CEN-CENELEC Guide 22 on the organizational aspects and processes for the assessment of the membership criteria of CEN and CENELEC was also revised. Both deliverables come into force as of 2018-01-01.

In accordance with the above rules, the coordination of the assessment system is ensured by the Membership Relations and Monitoring Committee (MRMC), whose Chair is an independent individual appointed for a four-year term by the CEN and CENELEC General Assemblies. The main MRMC tasks include reviewing and accepting assessment reports, and follow up regarding the identified remedial actions. The MRMC is also active in promoting a number of good practices of possible interest to the CEN and CENELEC communities. The MRMC reports to CEN and CENELEC General Assemblies through the Presidential Committee.

Standardization system in Europe

The standardization system in Europe is based on the national pillars, which are the National Standardization Bodies or the members of CEN. A National Standardization Body is the one stop shop for all stakeholders and is the main focal point of access to the concerted system, which comprises regional (European) and international (ISO) standardization. It is the responsibility of the CEN National Members to implement European Standards as national standards. The National Standardization Bodies distribute and sell the implemented European Standard and have to withdraw any conflicting national standards.