Primary Questionnaire (PQ) and Updating Questionnaire (UQ) 

This document specifies the actions required to distribute a reference document to the CEN National Members for public comment and national opinion. The Primary Questionnaire (PQ) procedure is used for an entirely new reference document; the Updating Questionnaire (UQ) procedure is used for a revised reference document the previous edition of which has already been adopted as a European Standard (EN).  Information is also provided on how to handle the received comments and on how to communicate the results of the PQ/UQ to the CEN National Members.

The following procedure applies to the CEN National Members, the CEN Technical Board (BT), the Technical Committees (TC), European and international organisations and the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre (CCMC).

NOTE 1  Within the context of this procedure, a reference document is a document published by an outside organisation (i.e. not CEN or CENELEC) that is likely to be considered as acceptable by the CEN National Members e.g. an ISO standard, a national standard, a document published by a European or international organisation, etc.

NOTE 2  If a CEN Member is confronted with a situation where it has to implement an EN that is not compliant with the legislation of its country, it can request an A-deviation, i.e. a derogation from the mandatory implementation of those requirements in the EN which are in contradiction with national legislation. See GD – National regulations – Possible conflict with CEN work for more information.

3.1 Any CEN National Member, TC, European or international organisation or CCMC can request to launch a PQ/UQ procedure. This request shall be sent to the BT, ensuring that the use of the Reference Document complies with the copyright rules (see GD – Copyright).

NOTE  If the subject covered by the reference document falls within the scope of an existing CEN/TC, the request shall be sent to that TC.

3.2 BT (or the CEN/TC, where applicable) formalises its decision on the launch of a PQ/UQ by taking a resolution, which also includes the imposition of standstill (see GD – Standstill).

3.3 CCMC allocates a work item number to the new project.

3.4 The TC Secretary (or CCMC if no responsible TC exists) sends the document in the relevant reference language version via E-Trans to CCMC for checking its suitability for translation, together with the completed electronic Transmission Notice. AFNOR, BSI and DIN are automatically notified thereof.

NOTE  If no responsible TC exists, the documents falls under the responsibility of CCMC.

Checklist for Action

GD - Translation procedure

GD - Drafting of European Standards - Electronic preparation

3.5 CCMC checks that all the documentation and electronic files have been supplied, that the appropriate information has been provided on the Transmission Notice and that the deliverable corresponds to the database records.

3.6 CCMC sends the electronic documents via E-Trans to the relevant National Standards Bodies (NSB) (AFNOR, BSI or DIN) in order to trigger the translation procedure of the remaining 2 official CEN language versions (BT members are informed through lists posted on E-Trans).

3.7 The relevant NSBs prepare the translations and return them via E-Trans to CCMC within the specified timescale (normally 8 weeks).

NOTE  In case of unavailable translations, the relevant NSBs will supply at least the translation of titles.

3.8 On receipt of the translations or immediately after expiry of the time period, CCMC dispatches the reference document in the available language versions (together with Dispatch Notice and Ballot Form) to the CEN National Members, the EC and EFTA Secretariat, the TC Chairperson and Secretary. This is done via the Weekly Output file that is uploaded onto an electronic platform (FTP site) on a weekly basis.

NOTE  Late incoming translations to CCMC are circulated by CCMC on the Weekly Output file at the next available opportunity.

3.9 The CEN National Members submit their vote and their comments, prepared using the CEN Commenting Form, on the E-balloting platform on Livelink within the prescribed 5-month period. When applicable, the CEN Consultants also submit their comments on the E-balloting platform.

3.10 One day after the deadline of the questionnaire, CCMC establishes the voting report, compiles the received comments and dispatches both the report and the comments via E-Trans to the CEN National Members, the Associates, the Affiliates, the EC and EFTA Secretariat, the TC Chairperson and the TC Secretary.

3.11 The TC Secretary (or CCMC if no responsible TC exists) compiles and evaluates the results and establishes a table of decisions (i.e. CEN Commenting Form, column 'Secretariat Observations').

3.12 The TC decides, by taking a resolution, on one of the following options:

• To put the reference document to the Formal Vote for adoption as an EN (see process for Formal Vote) or as a Technical Specification (CEN/TS – see process for Technical Specifications).

NOTE 1  This decision is taken when there is a real market need for such an EN or CEN/TS and when the reference document is acceptable at European level. Therefore, this decision is only taken when the results of the PQ/UQ show that there is a high probability that the results of Formal Vote will be positive.

• To continue the technical work on the reference document or to propose that ISO continues the technical work in case the reference document is an ISO standard (in accordance with the 'ISO lead' procedure described in the Guidelines for implementation of the Vienna Agreement).

NOTE 2 The transposition of an ISO publication into a CEN Technical Specification or CEN Technical Report should be avoided and should only occur when it is fully justified and approved by BT on a case-by-case basis (see resolution BT 41/1997).

• To issue a Technical Report in order to give first hand information on the harmonisation situation (see process for Technical Reports).
• To stop the work if no harmonisation is necessary or possible due to a lack of interest.

Once the resolution is approved, the TC Secretary sends it to CCMC via e-mail (tcminares@cencenelec.eu). CCMC checks the supplied information and updates the database.

If there is no TC and the result of the PQ/UQ shows that there is a high probability that the results of the Formal Vote will be positive, CCMC decides (by taking a resolution) to launch the Formal Vote on the reference document (see process for Formal Vote). However, if the result of the PQ/UQ shows there is a high probability that the results of the Formal Vote will be negative, CCMC refers the matter to BT.