Thread by @EuChoosefreedom

Knowledge, they say, is power

I'm going to do my best to explain the biggest, most important thing Europe does together - Common Standards

There's pretty much nothing you eat, use, sniff or sit on which isn't regulated, made safe and good by EuroNorms.

Hardly heard of them? They work pretty much perfectly. And working perfectly isn't news. So they get ignored. Like your bowels, or, indeed the EU

The 2000-odd volume European Standards library of how-to-do-stuff is set by c50,000 people working with the Standardization Committee (CEN)

If you're a European Country - EU or not - your National Standards Agency is part of CEN cen.eu/Pages/default.…

EN Standards don't normally tell you how to make stuff. They set out how to test if your stuff is working right

Like EN1929: Shopping Trolleys - how to test yours with weights to make sure they don't fold up and crush babies

EN Standards don't usually impose anything. They tell you about common rules, so your screws can fit the other firm's nuts, or ...

...ever wondered how your bank card can work everywhere in Europe? See EN29564

Many ENs are 'Harmonised', everyone has agreed they're necessary. So if your country had just one single item which didn't meet the Standard, then EVERY export would need checking to see if that thing was being smuggled

If you're part of CEN, you have to do all of it

Unlike old UK (or French, or Soviet) Standards, ENs don't normally 'Approve' things

Instead, that 'CE' mark is the actual boss saying "this is good and safe - sue me personally if it isn't"

(You'll find the boss's contact details on the leaflet with your toaster, bike &c)

Amazing! ENs mostly work without inspectors, bureaucracy or fees

Instead
You're told how your stuff must perform
YOU decide how to do it
YOU tell the public how it performs
YOU (yes, you, Mr Boss) take complete Personal responsibility for it

See why some bosses don't like it?

Under old National Standards, you paid 'inspectors', so could (ahem) y'know, pay a 'bit' extra

Now corruption's gone, 'cos there isn't anyone to corrupt. Instead, look... there's MY actual signature on a real product.

See why some liked the old way?

For this to work, Boss and customer have to both be subject to the same Courts.

Which is why the Chinese can't sell bikes in the EU, or the Swiss sell saws

But an EU manufacturer can have their stuff made for them anywhere in the world
theguardian.com/politics/2018/…?

About 1/3 of CEN Standards are Internationally Agreed, about 1/3 are technically necessary..

..and about 1/3 sprout from EU law

Here's how it works..

Real example:

The EU Parliament are worried about poisonous smoke - they've voted in a law that wood stoves must be much cleaner eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/…

The law then goes to CEN to make a set of compulsory technical Standards. They're on with it now.

(If you want to have your say, you can...standards.cen.eu/dyn/www/f?p=20…

#Brexit? Irrelevent

If UK were to leave EU we'd just be excused the trouble of making the Laws behind the Standards. We'd still have to follow them.

But we can't leave CEN, and we won't, ...and I've got that in writing

Any questions?

Next, we need to talk about EU packaging codes. And professional competence certificates. And bottling systems... and...