Role and tasks

In order to underpin its mission, SABE has the following roles and tasks:

To provide CEN/BT with the relevant information on environmental matters so that it can make balanced decisions on standardization topics affecting the environment and to make proposals on CEN strategy on environmental issues:

• Proactively provide strategic input to CEN/BT on environmental aspects in standardization;
• Actively contribute to the work of CEN/BT through the tabling of relevant issues at BT meetings and the provision of information throughout the year;
• Provide a medium-term view on EU policy items that potentially address standardization;
• Provide a long-term view on future challenges facing European environmental standardization.

Top

To assist CEN/BT with the negotiation and acceptance of EC mandates related to environmental issues and to assist Commission officers in the development of their views on standardization:

• Identify areas where European standards can support European environmental policy using our knowledge of EU initiatives through continuous dialogue with EU institutions;
• Promote the use of standards in general, and in particular participate in discussions with the Commission with the aim of advising on ways in which environmental standardization can play a role in the regulatory framework;
• Assist the EC when drafting mandates in the environmental field, prepare a draft BT position and advise BT on the quality of the mandate in order to avoid potential problems. Screen mandates on their environmental aspects.

Top

To encourage and promote exchange of information between CEN, key stakeholders and interest groups to ensure that all relevant environmental issues and views are considered in standards development:

• Promote transparency and openness;
• Make increasing use of the SABE pages on the CEN Website to communicate our message;
• Ensure coherence between CEN initiatives and ISO activities in the field of environment through active engagement, with the objective of influencing ISO to meet European requirements. Propose action in the case that there is no appropriate CEN/TC to follow relevant ISO work;
• Ensure that NSBs receive our outputs and are asked to contribute to our development work. NSBs should be asked to attend our meetings with clearly stated positions on agenda items. We should produce reports of meetings so that non-attending NSBs are fully briefed.
• Provide a platform for sharing information on best practices and other positive examples;
• Act as intermediary between the environmental mirror committees of the National Standardization Bodies and CEN Associates, such as the environmental NGOs, in order to have in place an environmental standardization policy which is used as widely as possible;
• Share information regarding environmental legislation and policies, and their impact on standardization.

Top

Back