What it is
CEN (the European Committee for Standardization) and CENELEC (its electrotechnical counterpart) are two of the three European standards organisations — the third is ETSI, for telecoms and radio. Working with the international bodies ISO and IEC, they develop the European standards (ENs) that supply the technical detail the EU’s New Approach leaves to standards.
Why it matters for compliance
A standard becomes harmonised — and legally significant — when its reference is cited in the Official Journal under a piece of EU legislation; a product made to it then enjoys a presumption of conformity with the essential requirements the standard covers. Applying harmonised standards is voluntary but the simplest route to demonstrating conformity, and for many products it permits self-assessment.
How to use it
- Identify the EN standards relevant to your product.
- Confirm a standard is harmonised and currently cited in the Official Journal for the applicable law.
- Cover any essential requirements the standard does not address by other means.
Good to know
The presumption is bounded: it extends only as far as the standard covers the requirements, and it can lapse when a standard is superseded — so “we used a standard” is not the same as “we are presumed conforming”.
Visit the official CEN-CENELEC site ↗How Conphora helps
Conphora turns obligations like these into one managed workflow — it matches each product to the rules that apply, flags the gaps, and keeps your evidence ready for retailers and authorities.