In an era where the global standards market is gaining more and more international importance and recognition, CEN has introduced the CEN workshop structure and process. This open process aims at bridging the gap between industrial consortia that produce de facto standards with limited participation of interested parties, and the formal European standardization process which produces standards through consensus under the authority of the CEN member bodies. CEN workshops are flexible structure that benefit from wide openness and consensus which are key values of CEN.
The CEN workshop offers a new mechanism and approach to standardization - a place where clients can bring their standardization and specification requirements and are given the opportunity to find a solution in an environment "tailor-made" for their needs. The workshop concept provides a unique opportunity for any party faced with a challenge to find others in a similar situation and to develop a result by consensus, validated in an open arena.
The procedures for setting up and operating workshops are deliberately kept to a minimum and all the decision-making powers rest with the interested parties themselves - the members of the workshop. These include all market players (industry, service providers, administrations, users and consumers) and can come from any part of the globe. They are responsible for the funding and direction of the workshop and for the approval of the deliverables.
The main activity of a CEN workshop is the development and publication of the CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA).
