This page specifies the processing and distribution of a draft for CEN Enquiry.

1. PROCESS (Flowchart)

1.1 Once the TC Secretary and TC Chairperson have approved the finalized draft received from the WG Convenor (prepared in accordance with CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations – Part 3) (see Process – Drafting of European Standards), the TC Secretary submits it the Submission Interface in the relevant reference language version to CCMC for checking its suitability for further processing. The prEN shall be submitted in two electronic formats, an agreed revisable WORD file (use of the CEN simple template is obligatory) and a non-revisable PDF file, together with separate figure files, if any. AFNOR, BSI and DIN are automatically notified thereof.

The Enquiry draft shall be submitted to CCMC by the target date (stage code 30.99) indicated in the initial NIW proposal or the adjusted WI plan.

A close and continuous monitoring of the target dates of the initial/adjusted plan is possible through Projex-Online.

Earlier delivery of the Enquiry draft, i.e. before the planned target date, is always possible (and desirable). This will not change the planned target date for dispatch of the final draft.

Late delivery of the Enquiry draft will have the following consequences:

• If the delivery is delayed by up to 4 weeks, the period for ’handling of comments/preparing the final draft’ is reduced by the delayed time used. The planned target date for dispatch of the final draft (stage code 45.99) remains unchanged.
• If the delivery is delayed by more than 4 weeks, the Work Item will be cancelled. 
  NOTE: The 9-month tolerance, if needed, has to be requested before the initially planned target date for the submission of the draft to Enquiry (30.99) (see 1.4 of the Section ‘Drafting of European Standards up to Enquiry stage’), and no longer within the 4 weeks of delay.

1.2 CCMC checks that all the documentation and electronic files have been supplied and that the deliverable corresponds to the database records.

1.3 Within five weeks, CCMC allocates a reference number, edits the text and sends the electronic documents via E-Trans to the relevant National Standards Bodies (NSB) in order to trigger the two-month National Enquiry preparation and the Translation procedure of the remaining two official CEN language versions.  During these two months any NSB can request an extension of up to 4 weeks of the Enquiry ballot (by default the Enquiry is 12 weeks long). According to the Translation Procedure AFNOR, DIN and (when relevant) BSI can request extensions to the default 8 weeks translation period.

1.4 At the same time CCMC sends harmonized drafts requiring assessment to the HAS contractor, via the HAS Platform, which will allocate a HAS Consultant to carry out the assessment.

1.5 The HAS contractor has normally 35 days to provide the HAS assessment to CCMC, via the HAS Platform.

1.6 The relevant NSBs prepare the translations of the remaining two official CEN language versions and return them via E-Trans to CCMC within the specified timescales (default 8 weeks). In the case of unavailable translations, the relevant NSBs will supply at least the translation of the title.

1.7 Immediately after expiry of the time period, CCMC dispatches the prEN in the available language versions together with the assessment(s) of the HAS Consultant(s) to the CEN Members, the Partner Organizations, the Affiliates, the EC and EFTA Secretariat, the TC Chairperson and the TC Secretary. This is done via E-Trans, Projex-Online, and (h)APIs on a weekly basis.
CCMC ensures that a corresponding ballot is open on the E-balloting platform. Late incoming translations to CCMC are circulated at the next available opportunity.

1.8 The CEN Members submit their vote and their comments, prepared using the 'CEN Commenting Form' on the E-balloting platform on Livelink within the prescribed 12-week voting period. The CEN Members are required to cast unconditional votes and to justify any negative vote.

In case of abstention the justification is optional. 

In addition, the CEN Members confirm, or comment on, the proposed date of announcement (doa), date of publication (dop) and date of withdrawal (dow). Any disagreement concerning the proposed doa, dop or dow is recorded by the CEN Members in the CEN Commenting Form.

Second Enquiry drafts are submitted to the same conditions as a first Enquiry.

In line with Resolution BT 69/2004, through submitting a reply on the E-balloting platform, the CEN Member also confirms that the draft was made available for public comment and, in particular, that its availability was known to the national Public Authority. The Enquiry is a weighted vote according to CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations - Part 2, clause 6.

1.9 During Enquiry, the Societal Stakeholder Organizations (SSO) that are referred to as Annex III organizations in EU Regulation 1025/2012, amended by EU Regulation 2022/480, and that signed a partnership agreement with CEN or CENELEC - at present ANEC, ECOS and ETUC - have the right to submit an Opinion on the draft standards.
The SSO Secretariat fills in the Opinion template and sends it to the CEN and CENELEC Technical Board Secretariat (bt@cencenelec.eu) for handling following the agreed mechanism .

1.10 The E-balloting system automatically closes the ballot once the deadline is reached. One business day after the deadline of the CEN Enquiry, CCMC establishes the voting report, compiles the comments received and dispatches both the voting report and the comments via E-Trans, Projex-Online, and (h)APIs to the CEN Members, the Partner Organizations, the Affiliates, the EC and EFTA Secretariat, the TC Chairperson and TC Secretary.

1.11 The TC Secretary circulates the Enquiry voting report and the compiled comments, together with the assessments of the HAS Consultant(s), if any, to the TC members.

1.12 Each comment resulting from the CEN Enquiry, irrespective of whether a positive vote on the draft has been given by the individual countries, is analysed and evaluated, and a decision is taken.
This may be carried out during a 'comments resolution meeting' of the TC or the TC can decide to delegate the resolution of comments to the level of a Subcommittee (SC) or a Working Group (WG).

1.13 The TC Secretary prepares a so-called 'table of decisions', collects the formal written proposals of the meeting (by completing the CEN Commenting Form, column ‘Observations of the Secretariat’) and circulates these documents, together with the revised draft, to the TC for final decision on how to proceed (see 1.14 and 1.16).

1.14 When the Enquiry results meet the necessary approval criteria and no technical changes were accepted, the Chair and Secretary of the Technical Body can recommend to skip the Formal Vote and go straight to publication, taking into account the following:

• The Enquiry voting results and comments
• Knowledge of the committee and subject area
• The Global Relevance policy

NOTE: A Globally Relevant standard should:

• Effectively respond to regulatory and market needs (in the global marketplace)
• Respond to scientific and technical developments in various countries
• Not distort the market
• Have no adverse effects on fair competition
• Not stifle innovation and technological development
• Not give preference to characteristics or requirements of specific countries or regions when different needs or interests exist in other countries or regions
• Be performance based as opposed to design prescriptive 

The TC decides by taking a Decision by simple majority to skip the Formal Vote and proceed to publication (go to process 'Finalization and implementation of European Standards') (4-week consultation period). The TC registers this decision in Projex-Online Working Area.

In case a HAS Consultant provided a negative assessment, the Formal Vote shall not be skipped, unless the negatives assessment is resolved during the resolution of comments (see 1.12).

NOTE: Parallel projects under ISO lead leading to the development of EN ISO standards are exempted from the requirement of a CEN/TC decision to skip the Formal Vote, on the condition that:

• ISO decides to skip the Formal Vote,
• the CEN Enquiry result is positive,
• if applicable, HAS Consultant assessment is positive, and
• no technical changes are made before publication'.

1.15 Where the decision by the Technical Body to skip the Formal Vote is positive, the TC submits to CCMC, via the Submission Interface, the table of decisions from the Enquiry. No text is to be delivered to CCMC for the publication. CCMC finalizes the publication using the enquiry draft as approved by the CEN members taking into account editorial comments stemming from the Enquiry. No technical changes to a voted draft standard are permitted after the vote and during the publication stage.

1.16 If the Formal Vote is not skipped, the following options are possible:

• to launch a second Enquiry on the modified version of the prEN (go back to 1.1). The TC decides by taking a decision by simple majority, then registers this decision in Projex-Online Working Area;
• to submit  the revised draft as FprEN to Formal Vote (go to process 'Formal Vote') in which case the edited Enquiry draft shall be the base document for the Formal Vote draft. The TC Chairperson and Secretary decide to submit the revised draft to the Formal Vote;
• to prepare a CEN/TS (go to process 'Technical Specifications'). The TC decides by taking a decision by simple majority, then registers this decision in Projex-Online Working Area;
• to stop the work and release the standstill, if appropriate (see GD – Standstill for more information concerning the standstill principle). The TC decides by taking a decision by simple majority, then registers this decision in Projex-Online Working Area.

NOTE: For work items mandated or covered by a Grant Agreement, changing the type of deliverable and stopping the work requires approval by the BT.