The political and horizontal activities of ANEC focus on:
- our contribution as an “Annex III Organisation” to the implementation and revision of Regulation (EU) 1025/2012 (including the EC Committee on Standards; EC Annual Union Work Programme for European Standardisation; High Level Forum on standardisation)
- enhancing consumer participation in standardisation
- the training of consumer experts and consumer representatives
- participation in the governance of the European Standardisation Organisations
- our contribution to the European Consumer Agenda
- strengthening the framework for market surveillance and enforcement
- strengthening the framework for the safety of consumer products
- communications, events and dissemination of information
- collaboration with our sister organisations: BEUC, Consumers International, ICRT
News and recent success stories
ANEC celebrates its 30th anniversary
On 11 and 12 June 2025, ANEC both celebrated its 30th anniversary and held its 36th General Assembly meeting in Brussels, bringing together members, experts, partners and stakeholders to reflect on its achievements and look to the future.
#ANEC30 – Celebrating the Journey
The event on 11 June began with a welcome from ANEC President, Dermott Jewell. He presented the ANEC Annual Review 2024/2025 as a snapshot of the ANEC of today.
The audience warmly welcomed a keynote address from Anna Cavazzini MEP, Chair of the IMCO Committee, on the importance of consumer representation in standardisation, and ANEC’s record of achievements over its 30 years. Her address was followed by a summer’s afternoon “pool side” chat with the President and the ANEC Director-General, Stephen Russell.
A panel discussion, moderated by ANEC Deputy Director-General Chiara Giovannini, featured contributions from Elena Santiago (CEN-CENELEC), Martin Michelot (TIC Council), Maurits-Jan Prinz (DG GROW), Agustín Reyna (BEUC) and Lars Vogt (Toy Industries Europe). The discussion explored the effectiveness of current consumer protection frameworks in standardisation, the barriers to stronger consumer representation; and the steps needed to improve inclusiveness and consumer impact in future standards policy.
The ANEC Director-General concluded the session.
The day ended with a networking reception, including a video message from Commissioner Michael McGrath, and an address by EFTA Deputy Secretary-General Knut Hermansen. Both congratulated ANEC and its experts on some remarkable achievements throughout its history.
36th ANEC General Assembly meeting
The General Assembly on 12 June focused on governance matters, including the adoption of the 2024 accounts and the 2025 budget.
Following on from his presentation to the General Assembly of last year, Andrea Raffaelli from Small Business Standards (SBS) spoke on the recommendations from the EC High-Level Forum on Standardisation Workstream 3 on building inclusiveness at the national level.
The ANEC Secretariat team provided updates on current initiatives across ANEC’s areas of priority; previewed the forthcoming redesign of the ANEC website, and invited nominations for new experts.
ANEC also proudly unveiled “30 Testimonials to Celebrate 30 Years” - a special publication featuring reflections from individuals who have played a significant role in ANEC’s journey: from founding contributors to long-standing partners and supporters. We warmly thank all those who contributed for their continued support and collaboration.
ANEC contribution to the Revision of the Standardisation Regulation
In July 2025, ANEC submitted a Position Paper during the European Commission Call for Evidence on the Revision of the Standardisation Regulation. ANEC is welcoming the results of the evaluation and the call for evidence. We reiterate several of the points we made in the past (during the evaluation process).
Notably, we support amendments over a full revision, we ask for limits on standardisation scope, we express concerns on International Standardisation, we call for a strengthen role, funding, and influence of Annex III organisations, we advocate for inclusiveness and effective participation and we stress the respect of democratic legitimacy, legal scrutiny, and public interest representation for alternatives to standards.
ANEC position on the next EC Consumer Agenda
The new consumer policy strategy contains a list of proposed measures to be taken in 2025-2030, including digital fairness, consumer law enforcement and an action plan on consumers in the Single Market.
In August 2025, ANEC calls for a renewed vision of consumer policy in the Single Market - one that integrates consumer interests across all policy areas, even those often overlooked. As standards play an increasingly vital role in EU legislation, from product safety to sustainability, accessibility, and digital services, it is essential to ensure they reflect the needs of all consumers. This requires political will and funding to support a more inclusive standardisation system with strong, meaningful consumer participation. We have coordinated our position with BEUC to ensure complementarity of views.
ANEC reply to the EC call for evidence for the revision of the New Legislative Framework (NLF)
The New Legislative Framework is the set of European Union laws designed to make the rules for product safety, compliance, and market surveillance consistent across all Member States. Most of the product safety legislation is following this model (NLF based legislation), which is using standards to provide presumption of conformity with the legal requirements (eg: Toys Directive, Low Voltage Directive, Machinery Regulation, European Accessibility Act, Cyber Resilience Act, etc).
In August 2025, ANEC submitted comments as follows:
-the NLF (Decision 768/2008 and Regulation 765/2008) is not fully fit to address modern product lifecycles, especially for smart, connected, or remanufactured goods.
-we call for explicit inclusion of cybersecurity and AI risks affecting product safety and compliance over the entire lifespan of products.
-foundational definitions—like placing on the market, making available, and conformity assessment—must be revised to reflect evolving, interconnected, and predictive product functionalities.
-The concept of "substantial modifications" was proposed to better capture safety implications when products are updated or altered.
-we highlight the need for better alignment between the NLF and the right to repair, supporting product sustainability and long-term consumer safety.
-we raise concerns over consumer products (e.g., under the Low Voltage Directive) that currently allow manufacturer self-assessment, without independent scrutiny—even when they can still pose serious risks.
ANEC reply to the European Commission proposals on Omnibus Directive and Regulation Aligning product legislation with the digital age
As part of the Single Market Strategy initiative, the European Commission has put forward legislative proposals to aligning product legislation with the digital age. This is done with a so-called Omnibus Directive and Regulation which change at the same time key articles in several Directives and Regulations. The aim is to reduce administrative burdens for companies and enhance their competitiveness.
The EC proposals will introduce digital formats for compliance documents (eg: declaration of conformity) and instructions for use for consumers as well as the use of EC common specifications as alternatives to Harmonised Standards as fall-back option.
ANEC expresses strong concern regarding the move towards providing product information exclusively in digital format. ANEC is not against digital product information as we acknowledge that it could play a complementary role and may enhance the paper documentation and information that is printed on the packaging or product. Our key message is “not either but both”.
While understanding the need to alternatives to Harmonised Standards when needed, we suggest that the Commission is invited to conduct extensive stakeholders consultations on the draft implementing acts containing the technical specifications, beyond the usual comitology procedures, to ensure that the views of all stakeholders are duly considered.
We also stress that reduction of burdens for businesses should not result in more burdens for consumers.
ANEC contribution to the Evaluation of the Standardisation Regulation
In July 2024, ANEC formally responded to the European Commission’s public consultation on the evaluation of Regulation (EU) 1025/2012. In addition to the consultation responses, ANEC submitted a comprehensive position paper.
ANEC suggested a focused modification of the Regulation rather than a complete overhaul. We advocated enhancing the political and financial frameworks at the national level to foster inclusive stakeholder participation in European standardisation. ANEC emphasized the continuous need to make the standardisation process more inclusive, responsive to societal needs, and well-aligned with legal frameworks. We also reiterated that harmonised standards form part of EU law, underscoring their significance.
New ANEC Statutes
The second day of the ANEC/GA meeting on 15 June 2022, was preceded by an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of the Association to adopt new Statutes. Aimed at strengthening the governance of ANEC, the new Statutes also ensure compliance with the Belgian Companies & Associations Code of May 2019.
Most visibly, the Statutes change the legal title of ANEC to the European Consumer Voice in Standardisation, a title used informally in recent years. Another visible modification changes the lead executive to a Director-General, with legal responsibility for the day-to-day affairs of the association. The adoption of the Statues took place in the presence of notary public, Frédéric de Grave.
In welcoming adoption of the Statutes, President Dermott Jewell thanked the ANEC Steering Committee members for helping guide their drafting, as well as EY Law for their professional advice.
European Commission’s Standardisation Strategy
The European Commission published its long-awaited Standardisation Strategy on 2 February 2022, which it trusts will underpin “the EU’s role as a global frontrunner in the development of standards, supporting EU values and providing industries with a competitive edge”.
ANEC Secretary-General, Stephen Russell, welcomed the Strategy and its ambitions to help the EU deliver the green and digital transitions, as well as supporting the resilience of the European single market. He said, “In its comments on the Roadmap for the Standardisation Strategy, ANEC stressed the need for a high-level group to build and maintain a new dialogue between the EC and the stakeholders of European standardisation. We are therefore delighted to understand that the EC will create a High-Level Forum to ensure European standardisation meets the needs to make the EU economy greener, digital and resilient. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, consumer spending accounted for 54% of EU GDP, and so it is essential consumers are at the heart of discussions on the twin transitions, and on how standards can support those transitions to the benefit of both business and society”.
The Strategy also foresees the creation of an EU excellence hub on standards to provide a focus for standardisation expertise within the EU Institutions and Member State authorities, with the work of the hub being steered by a new Chief Standardisation Officer, nominated by the EC. It also looks to safeguard European values and ethics in standards key to the European interest, and invites CEN, CENELEC and ETSI to make proposals by the end of 2022 on the modernisation of their governance to safeguard the public interest and that of society.
Commenting further, Stephen Russell said, “The requirement for the European Standardisation System to be inclusive is unique in the world and is worth reinforcing. A product or service that complies with an inclusive standard not only benefits European society, but provides European business with advantage on the global stage. We also welcome the EC recognising the need to protect European values in the development of standards critical to the consumer interest (such as cybersecurity) and look forward to working with the EC to achieve this, particularly noting the wish of business to align with international (ISO/IEC) standards whenever possible”
The Strategy is accompanied by the Annual Union Work Programme (AUWP) for 2022 and the latest Article 24 report from the EC under the provisions of Regulation (EU) 1025/2012, the Standardisation Regulation.
