Objectives of the CEN/TC and Strategies for their Achievement
The objective of CEN/TC 207 is to prepare European standards in the field of furniture, concentrating more particularly on terminology, safety and health related aspects, test methods and dimensional co-ordination.
The major aim is to have this set of standards put in place at the European level, so as to guarantee the "Internal market" for furniture. At a later stage, these standards could then be the basis for international work on the subject.
The current strategy by CEN/TC 207 has led to the publication of 30 standards. The TC will continue its current method of work in order to finalise the work programme by 2004. There is an agreement within CEN/TC 207 to be very restrictive with the introduction of new work items.
CEN/TC 207 works in 3 languages, with simultaneous translations at plenary meetings. All enquiries and formal votes were in three language versions. Although this is a time consuming exercise, it makes it possible to have all standards available to a wide range of users, immediately after adoption.
In order to achieve the objectives stated above, CEN/TC 207 "Furniture" decided to create Working groups to deal with different aspects of standardisation activity.
The following structure has been established:
TG 1 "Tables and chairs"
TG 2 "Storage furniture"
TG 3 "Children’s and nursery furniture"
TG 4 "Beds and mattresses"
TG 5 "Seating"
WG 1 "Office chairs"
WG 2 "Storage furniture"
WG 3 "Walls"
TG 1 "Educational furniture"
TG 2 "Laboratory furniture"
TG 3 "Writing boards for educational institutions"
CEN/TC 207 considered it necessary to set up liaisons with other CEN and ISO Technical Committees such as:
This section gives a list of European Publications that have been published by the CEN/TC and the information whether or not their references have been published in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
EN 581-1:1997: Outdoor furniture - Seating and tables for camping, domestic and contract use - Part 1: General safety requirements
ENV 581-2:1999: Outdoor Furniture -Seating and tables for camping, domestic and contract use - Part 2: Mechanical safety requirements and test methods for seating
EN 581-3:1999: Outdoor Furniture -Seating and tables for camping, domestic and contract use - Part 3: Mechanical safety requirements and test methods for tables
EN 597-1:1994: Furniture - Assessment of the ignitability of mattresses and upholstered bed bases - Part 1: Ignition source: Smouldering cigarette
EN 597-2:1994: Furniture - Assessment of the ignitability of mattresses and upholstered bed bases -Part 2: Ignition source: Match flame equivalent
EN 716-1:1995: Furniture - Children’s costs and folding cots for domestic use - Part 1: Safety requirements
EN 716-2:1995: Furniture - Children’s costs and folding cots for domestic use - Part 2: Test methods
EN 747-1:1993: Furniture - Bunk beds for domestic use - Part 1: Safety requirements
EN 747-2:1993: Furniture - Bunk beds for domestic use - Part 2: Test methods
EN 1021-1:1993: Furniture - Assessment of the ignitability of upholstered furniture - Part 1: Ignition source: Smouldering cigarette (ISO 8191-1:1987 modified)
EN 1021-2:1993: Furniture - Assessment of the ignitability of upholstered furniture - Part 2: Ignition source: Match flame equivalent (ISO 8191-2:1988 modified)
EN 1022:1996: Domestic furniture - Seating - Determination of stability
EN 1023-1:1996: Office furniture - Screens - Part 1: Dimensions
EN 1116:1995: Kitchen furniture - Co-ordinating sizes for kitchen furniture and kitchen appliances
EN 1129-1:1995: Furniture - Foldaway beds - Safety requirements and testing - Part 1: Safety requirements
EN 1129-2:1995: Furniture - Foldaway beds - Safety requirements and testing - Part 2: Test methods
EN 1130-1:1996: Furniture - Cribs and cradles for domestic use - Part 1: Safety requirements
EN 1130-2:1996: Furniture - Cribs and cradles for domestic use - Part 2: Test methods
EN 1153:1995: Kitchen furniture - Safety requirements and test methods for built-in and free standing kitchen cabinets and work tops
EN 1178-1:1994: High chairs for domestic use - Part 1: Safety requirements
EN 1178-2:1994: High chairs for domestic use - Part 2: Test methods
EN 1334: 1996: Domestic furniture - Beds and mattresses - Methods of measurement and recommended tolerances
EN 1725: 1998: Domestic furniture - Beds and mattresses - Safety requirements of functional characteristics
EN 1727:1998: Domestic furniture - Storage furniture - Safety requirements and test methods
EN 1728:1999: Domestic furniture - Seating - Test methods - Determination of strength and durability
EN 12221-1:1998: Changing units for domestic use - Part 1: Safety requirements
EN 12221-2:1998: Changing units for domestic use - Part 2: Test methods
EN 12720:1997: Furniture - Assessment of surface resistance to cold liquids
EN 12721:1997: Furniture - Assessment of surface resistance to wet heat
EN 12722:1997: Furniture - Assessment of surface resistance to dry heat
This glossary gives the full name and status of terms used, in abbreviated form or in full. The glossary also gives the source of the information provided. Glossary intends to help with the understanding of the terms mainly used in the standardisation process.
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Term |
Abbr. |
Definition |
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Standardization |
--- |
The activity of establishing, with regard to actual or potential problems, normative documents for common and repeated use, aimed at the achievement of the optimum degree of order in a given context. |
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Standard |
--- |
A technical specification or other document available to the public, drawn up with the co-operation and consensus or general approval of all interested parties affected by it, based on the consolidated results of science, technology and experience, aimed at the promotion of optimum community benefits and approved by a recognised standardising body on the national, regional, or international level for repeated or continuous application, with which compliance is not mandatory. |
|
Package of standards |
--- |
A group, as small as possible, of inter-related standards in the scope of one or more CEN/TCs which are usually developed simultaneously to one another as parts of one standard, or standards that must be developed simultaneously to meet a common DOW (‘date of withdrawal’ of conflicting national standards). |
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CEN/TC European Standardisation Deliverables : |
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European Standard |
EN |
A CEN/CENELEC (and ESTI) standard that carries with it the obligation to be implemented at national level by being given the status of a national standard and by withdrawal of any conflicting national standards. |
|
European Pre- Standard |
ENV |
Prospective CEN/CENELEC standards for provisional application in technical fields where the innovation rate is high or when there is an urgent need for guidance and primarily where aspects of safety for persons and goods are not involved. If national standards exist that conflict with a pre-standard, it is not obligatory to withdraw them. |
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CEN Report |
CR |
A CEN/CENELEC publication authorised by the Technical Board in order to provide information. |
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Harmonisation Document |
HD |
A CEN/CENELEC standard that carries with it the obligation to be implemented at national level, at least by public announcement of the HD number and title, and by withdrawal of any conflicting national standards. |
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CEN Standstill |
--- |
An agreement among the CEN members to not take any action, either during the preparation of an EN or HD, or after its approval, which could prejudice the harmonisation intended and in particular, to not publish a new or revised national standard which is not completely in line with an existing EN. |
|
European Directive |
e.g. : 89/106/EEC |
A legislative instrument within the European Union which is binding for Member States with regards to the objective to be achieved but which leaves to the national authorities the choice of form and methods used to attain the objectives which were agreed on at EU level within their domestic legal systems. |
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EC/EFTA mandate |
M/xxx |
A political request regarding a specific area of interest according to which the European Commission and/or EFTA formally invites European Standardisation organisations to develop standards on a voluntary basis within a given time limit by consensus amongst all interested parties involved. In many cases, a mandate is given by the EC and/or EFTA to support Directives, in particular New Approach Directives (Essential Requirements), or a particular industrial policy. |
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New Approach Directives |
--- |
Directives that have been put into force since May 1985 by the Council of the European Communities which define ‘legislative harmonisation in those sectors where barriers to trade are created by justified divergent national regulations concerning the health and safety of citizens and consumer and environmental protection, will be confined to laying down the ‘essential requirements’, conformity with which will entitle a product to free movement within the Community.’ |
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Essential Requirements |
--- |
Requirements that represent the core of Union law around which an effective policy has been developed in matters of safety, health and other measures for those areas covered by the ‘new approach directives’. |
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‘harmonised standard’ |
--- |
A European standard that is developed under a mandate from the EC and/or EFTA and which supports "essential requirements" of a New Approach Directive of the European Union. If in addition, its reference is published in the OJEC, it gives presumption of conformity to the "essential requirements" of the related Directive. |
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Official Journal of the European Communities |
OJEC |
An official publication of the Institutions of the European Union which is published daily. |
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presumption of conformity |
--- |
If a manufacturer attests that a product conforms to a harmonised standard whose reference is published in the OJEC, the national authorities accept that the product or service fulfils the "essential requirements’ of the Directive concerned. |
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Technical Committee |
CEN/TC |
A technical body responsible for the programming and planning of technical work and the monitoring and execution of this technical work. The CEN/TC is also responsible for the consensus building process among its members for individual work items. |
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Editing Committee |
--- |
A committee set up by a technical body (CEN/TC or SC) at the beginning of its work, which represents the three official languages of CEN. It is responsible for the correct formulation and presentation of the standard(s) prepared by the technical body (CEN/TC or SC) and the equivalence of the texts in the three official languages. |
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CEN/TC Sub-committee |
SC |
A technical body reporting to a CEN/TC, which within a define portion of the scope of this CEN/TC, is responsible for the monitoring and execution of this technical work. On behalf of the CEN/TC, the SC is also responsible for the consensus building process among its members for individual work items |
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CEN/TC Working group And CEN/SC Working group |
WG |
A technical body appointed by the CEN/TC or CEN//SC and composed of experts, responsible for the drafting of standards, in accordance to the CEN rules and the clear specifications set by the CEN/TC or CEN/SC. |
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Work Item number |
WI |
The identification number given to a standards project in a standards work programme. It is intended that the standards project leads to the issue of a new, amended or revised standard. |
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International Organisation for Standardisation |
ISO |
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Vienna Agreement |
VA |
Agreement on technical co-operation between ISO and CEN. |
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VA CEN lead |
--- |
Technical co-operation between ISO and CEN under the VA, where the work is done by the CEN/TC or SC, where a formal notification of interest was received by CEN from ISO, and where parallel synchronised procedures are applied in ISO and CEN for the approval processes. |
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VA ISO lead |
--- |
Technical co-operation between ISO and CEN under the VA, where the work is done by the ISO/TC, where a formal notification of interest was received by ISO from CEN, and where parallel synchronised procedures are applied in ISO and CEN for the approval processes. |
