Full consensus standards
These are developed through formal stages of drafting and consultation, aimed at achieving consensus and maximum stakeholder input. At a national level the principle of consensus is strongly upheld. At European and International levels consensus is sought but the decision to progress at each stage of development is taken by vote (qualified majority voting in the case of CEN).
The development stages in the three formal arenas (UK, European and International) are aligned (see table below) and in all three there is a requirement for the widest consultation.
| Activity |
International |
European |
| Proposal and assessment of new work |
submitted for approval by vote as new work item |
|
| Preparation of draft |
Working group of project team assembles a draft (called a DIS in ISO or CDV in IEC)
|
Working group of assembles a draft European standard (called a prEN) or international standard identified as a reference document
|
| Public enquiry |
ISO/DIS or IEC/CDV circulated for voting (5 months) |
prEN circulated for 6 month enquiry (or 5 month under Vienna or Dresden Agreements) |
Preparation of draft standard for formal vote
|
Technical committee, working group or project team modifies the draft on the basis of national comments |
|
Formal vote
|
FDIS circulated for voting (2 months) |
prEN circulated for voting (2 months) |
| Publication |
International standard issued after approval |
EN text issued after approval |
Private standards
These are client driven and privately funded, and have the agreement of stakeholders. They are not subject to a full public enquiry but are robustly developed in accordance with BSI British Standards' drafting rules. The process from initial scooping to final publication still follows a rigorous procedure.
Publications and books
BSI British Standards' publications are written in a user-friendly style and aim to provide guidance and support on using and implementing standards and achieving compliance with current legislation and best practice. They are authored by subject specialists, leaders in their field of expertise. Authors work closely with BSI's in-house team of Technical Project Editors to produce value-added, easily accessible books and guides.
