What are standards? what is standardization? what does NEN do?

In Dutch the terms normalization and standardization and norms and standards are often used interchangeably.

The English translation of ‘norm’ is ‘standard’

About standards

• Voluntary agreement between the parties about a product, service or process.
• They are not laws, but “best practices”
• Clarity / transparancy for market parties
• Trust in products, services or organizations
• Challenge society to innovate
• Standards are drawn up by experts and contain state-of-the-art knowledge

Standards provide transparency, a common ‘language’ and are very practical.

But standards cannot be taken for granted. Click here for a historical overview of standards.

About standards, standardization and innovation

Standardization is a strategic instrument for reaching widely supported agreements that enable innovation, sustainability, safety, efficiency and international trade.

Find out here what standards and standardization entail and what they can mean for research and innovation.

Watch this animation for a complete overview.

Click here to read more background information on standardization and innovation.

About NEN

Watch here what NEN does?