Committees

What is a standardisation committee?

A standardisation committee is a group of experts that is interested in standardisation and registered at the Estonian Centre for Standardisation and Accreditation. Two types of committees are registered at the Estonian Centre for Standardisation and Accreditation:

  • technical committee (EVS/TC), the mains tasks of which in their scope are the following:
  • finding out the need for standardisation;
  • drafting standards;
  • keeping drafted standards updated;
  • participating in international and European standardisation;
  • project committee (EVS/PC), established for a fixed term to perform a certain standardisation task (e.g. drafting one standard).

Establishing a standardisation committee and its work procedure is described in the Estonian Centre for Standardisation and Accreditation’s guide EVS JUHEND 6.

Who are standardisation committee members?

Committee members could be any organisations and self-employed persons active within the committee’s scope and registered in Estonia or established pursuant to Estonian legislation who authorise their representative(s) to participate in the work of the committee. If the committee so decides, experts may also observe the committee’s work as private persons.

Committees are formed and maintained in such a way that all parties who are interested in standardisation would be represented, if possible:

  • small and medium-sized enterprises with less than 250 employees;
  • large industrial and/or trading enterprises with 250 and more employees;
  • standard implementation enterprises (e.g. certification authorities, labs, consultation companies);
  • trade unions;
  • non-governmental organisations (including professional associations);
  • the state (ministries and institutions);
  • educational and research institutions.

All parties interested in the field are free to become committee members.

How does a standardisation committee work?

The committee’s working principles

  • the working language is Estonian,
  • decisions are made at meetings or outside meetings in the form of written committee decisions.
  • the committee establishes working groups, if they are required for handling different standardisation objects or dealing with specific tasks.

The activities of technical committees are described in the annual work programmes of each committee. The objectives of a project committee are described in its project description.

Which standardisation committees already exist?

Standardisation committees registered at the Estonian Centre for Standardisation and Accreditation are included in the list of committees along with their relevant information (scope, members, co-ordinator, etc.).