CEN recognizes the importance of environmental protection and sustainable development for current and future generations and therefore believes that all standards must take the environment into consideration.
Standards, whether they are product standards, service standards or process standards, all have an impact on the environment. The environmental impact of a product standard, for example, will vary according to the different stages of the lifecycle that can be distinguished (production, distribution, use and end-of-life). Standardization can play a major role in reducing environmental impacts by influencing the choices that are made in connection with the design of products and processes.
CEN faces environmental challenges posed by the operational activities of the CEN Sectors as well as by developments within the European Community.
CEN's response to environmental challenges
Standards and the European Union environmental policy
According to the Treaty that establishes the European Community "Environmental protection requirements must be integrated into the definition and implementation of the Community policies and activities … in particular with a view to promoting sustainable development".
The EU tries to achieve this environmental protection through an extensive set of legislative instruments, the implementation of which is frequently supported by standards.
EU environmental policies
Air quality
A software verification package is now available for EN 15446:2008 'Fugitive and diffuse emissions of common concern to industry sectors - Measurement of fugitive emission of vapours generating from equipment and piping leaks'. The package contains:
- a database (Excel file)
- a user manual for the database (Word file)
- and a testing procedure (Powerpoint file)
This package enables the testing of calculation softwares for assessing their conformity with EN 15446:2008.
To obtain the package, please click here and look for EN 15446:2008.