“ EN ISO “ vs “ EN “ What’s the difference?
The terms "EN ISO" and "EN" alone refer to different types of standards within the context of European and international standardization. Here’s a breakdown of the differences:
EN (European Standard)
Definition: EN stands for "Europäische Norm" or "European Standard."
Issuing Body: These standards are developed and published by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC), or the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).
Scope: EN standards are adopted and used within the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA).
Purpose: They aim to harmonize technical standards across Europe to facilitate trade and ensure safety, quality, and environmental protection.
Adoption: Once an EN standard is adopted, it must be implemented as a national standard by all CEN/CENELEC member countries, and any conflicting national standards must be withdrawn.
EN ISO (European Standard, International Organization for Standardization)
Definition: EN ISO indicates that the standard is both a European (EN) and an International (ISO) standard.
Issuing Body: These standards are developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and then adopted by CEN/CENELEC as European standards.
Scope: EN ISO standards have a broader scope, being applicable both within Europe and internationally.
Purpose: These standards facilitate global trade and cooperation by ensuring compatibility and interoperability across borders.
Adoption: EN ISO standards are integrated into the European system and must be adopted as national standards by all CEN/CENELEC member countries, just like pure EN standards.
Key Differences
Development:
EN: Developed solely within the European standardization framework.
EN ISO: Developed by ISO at an international level and then adopted by the European standardization bodies.
Scope:
EN: Primarily used within Europe.
EN ISO: Used both within Europe and globally.
Adoption:
Both EN and EN ISO standards are mandatory for CEN/CENELEC members to adopt at the national level, replacing any conflicting national standards.
Example
EN 1234: This would be a standard developed within the European framework, applicable to European countries.
EN ISO 1234: This would be a standard initially developed by ISO and then adopted by CEN/CENELEC, making it applicable both in Europe and internationally.
In summary, "EN ISO" standards represent international standards adopted for use in Europe, whereas "EN" standards are developed specifically for the European context.
