Describes the country's standards landscape, identifies the national standards and accreditation bodies, and lists the main national testing organization(s) and conformity assessment bodies.
Last Published: 7/9/2019

Products tested and certified in the United States to U.S. regulations and standards are likely to have to be retested and re-certified to EU requirements as a result of the EU’s different approach to the protection of the health and safety of consumers and the environment. Where products are not regulated by specific EU technical legislation, they are always subject to the EU’s General Product Safety Directives as well as to possible additional national requirements. 

EU legislation and standards are harmonized across the Member States and European Economic Area countries to allow for the free flow of goods. For detailed information on harmonized trade standards, see the U.S. Commercial Service’s Commercial Guide for the European Union

Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are required under the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement) to notify to the WTO proposed technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures that could affect trade. Notify U.S. (www.nist.gov/notifyus) is a free, web-based e-mail registration service that captures and makes available for review and comment key information on draft regulations and conformity assessment procedures. Users receive customized e-mail alerts by country and/or sector of interest and can request full texts of regulations.  This service and its associated web site are managed and operated by the USA WTO TBT Inquiry Point housed within the National Institute of Standards and Technology, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
 

Contact Information

U.S. Government
U.S. Mission to the EU
Rebecca Balogh
U.S. Commercial Service Standards Attache Standards Attaché 
E-mail: rebecca.balogh@trade.gov 
Direct Dial: +32 2 811 50 34

National Institute of Standard & Technology
Gordon Gillerman Standards Coordination Office
100 Bureau Dr.
Mail Stop 2100
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899
Tel: (301) 975-4000
 

European Union

CEN- European Committee for Standardization
Avenue Marnix 17
B – 1000 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: 32.2.550.08.11
Fax: 32.2.550.08.19

CENELES- European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
Avenue Marnix 17
B – 1000 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: 32.2.519.68.71
Fax: 32.2.519.69.15

ETSI- European Telecommunications Standards Institute
Route des Lucioles 650
Sophia Antipolis
F-06560 Valbonne France
Tel: 33.4.92.94.42.00
Fax: 33.4.93.65.47.16

SBS- Small Business Standards
4, Rue Jacques de Lalaing
B-1040 Brussels
Tel: 32.2.285.07.27  Fax : +32-2/230.78.61

ANEC- European Association for the Co-ordination of Consumer Representation in Standardization
Avenue de Tervuren 32, Box 27
B – 1040 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: 32.2.743.24.70
Fax: 32.2.706.54.30

ECOS- European Environmental Citizens Organization for Standardization
Rue d’Edimbourg 26
B – 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: 32.2.894.46.68
Fax: 32.2.894.46.10

EOTA- European Organization for Technical Assessment
Avenue des Arts 40
B – 1040 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: 32.2.502.69.00
Fax: 32.2.502.38.14

Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.