International cooperation / Cooperation with CEN
European Committee for Standardization (CEN)
 
The European Committee for Standardizationwas founded in 1961 by EEC and EFTA members. CEN is officially recognised as a European standards body by the European Union; the other official European standards bodies are the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) and the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI). The official languages are English, French and German. CEN has 48 members (one for each country). Head office is located in Brussels. It has three membership categories:
 
National Members – The National Standardization Bodies of30 European countries. There is only one member per country. They have voting rights in the General Assembly and Administrative Board of CEN and provide delegations to the Technical Board, which defines the work program. It is the responsibility of the CEN National Members to implement European Standards as national standards, to distribute and sell themand to withdraw any conflicting national standards.
Affiliates – Affiliation with CEN is available to a National Standards Body, which is a member (or corresponding member) of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and is the standardization body from an EU neighboring country having links with the EU or EFTA.
They may participate in the General Assembly and in technical bodies. They receive all technical and general documentation from CEN.
Partner Standardization Bodies – Partner Standardization Bodies (PSBs) are National Standardization Bodies that are member of ISO, but are unlikely to become CEN Members or CEN Affiliates for political or geographical reasons.
CEN has also Associate Members, which are broad-based European organizations, representing particular sectors of industry as well as consumers, environmentalists, experts, and small and medium-sized enterprises. Associate Members Rights and responsibilities are the following:
· Promote CEN and European standardization.
· Participate in the General Assembly (without voting rights).
· Sit on the Administrative Board when policy matters are being discussed.
· Sit on the Technical Board and any other technical body.
· Receive all relevant documentation and information, including draft standards.
CEN is an association headed by the President and the Secretary General.
 
It is governed by the General Assembly, which is responsible for the budget, membership and appointment of officers.
 
The Administrative Board is the authorized agent of the Assembly to direct CEN's operations. It prepares the annual budget and membership applications.
 
The Technical Board controls the standards program and promotes its execution by the Management Centre, Technical Committees and other bodies.

The Administrative Board is advised by two committees:

· Consultative Committee for External Policy
· Consultative Committee for Financial Affairs

Standards are developed by CEN Technical Committees. Currently the total number of available documents is 13.598 (end September 2009). CEN currently has 287 active Technical Committees and 31active CEN Workshops. As well, there are68Sub-committees and 1401Working Groups.

National Institute of Standards of Armenia (SARM) is a partner standardization body (PSB) of the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) since 1 January 2007 and affiliate member since 1 January 2008. SARM participates in activities of 3 CEN technical committees:

· TC 164-Watter supply,
· TC 234-Gas supply,
· TC 340-Anti-seismic devices.
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