Code of Conduct for delegates, experts and observers participating in the technical work of CEN and/or CENELEC

Delegates, experts and observer participating in the technical work of CEN and/or CENELEC are aware of CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations and Guides, especially

• the CEN-CENELEC Common Policy on Patents (and other statutory intellectual property rights based on inventions) as laid down in CEN-CENELEC Guide 8;
• the provisions regarding competition law as laid down in CEN-CENELEC Guide 31; and
• the CEN-CENELEC Policy on dissemination, sales and copyright of CEN-CENELEC Publications as laid down in CEN-CENELEC Guide 10.

Delegates, experts and observers shall contribute to the work of CEN and/or CENELEC in accordance therewith.

Delegates, experts and observers participating in the technical work of CEN and CENELEC shall recognize the following principles and behave in accordance therewith:

1. Work for the net benefit of the European community: Delegates, experts and observers recognize that the development of European Standards or other European standardization deliverables is for the net benefit of the European community. Delegates, experts and observers are committed to advancing European Standards or other European standardization deliverables within their agreed scope and we will not hinder their development.

2. Uphold consensus and governance: Delegates, experts and observers uphold the key principles of international standardization: consensus, transparency, openness, impartiality, effectiveness, relevance, coherence and the development dimension. 

3. Agree to a clear purpose and scope: Delegates, experts and observers are committed to having a clear purpose, scope, objectives and plan to ensure the timely development of European Standards or other European standardization deliverables.

4. Participate actively and manage effective representation: Delegates, experts and observers agree to actively participate in standards development projects. Delegates and experts make their contributions to the work through the official procedures in accordance with the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations.

5. Escalate and resolve disputes: Delegates, experts and observers identify and escalate disputes in a timely manner to ensure rapid resolution. Delegates, experts and observers uphold the agreed dispute resolution processes.

6. Behave ethically: Delegates, experts and observers act in good faith and with due care and diligence. Delegates, experts and observers avoid collusive, anticompetitive or dominant behaviour. Delegates, experts and observers promote a culture of fair and ethical behaviour.

7. Respect others in meetings: Delegates experts and observers are committed to respecting others and the professional culture of European standardization within CEN/CENELEC. In meetings delegates, experts and observers are committed to: 

• Conducting themselves in a professional manner
• Respecting others and their opinions
• Revealing neither the identity nor the affiliation of other participants when using information received but not included in official minutes without prior consent
• Accepting decisions of the CEN/CENELEC Technical Board and the respective Technical body they are participating or its parent Technical body
• Ensuring that the views of all (including those whose first language is not that of the meeting) are heard and understood.

Should a delegate, an expert or an observer demonstrate an undue behaviour the Chair resp. the Convenor shall remind him/her. Should the undue behaviour reappear the Chair resp. the Convenor shall inform the CEN or CENELEC Member having appointed this delegate/expert or the Partner/Liaison Organization having appointed this observer accordingly and immediately.

NOTE: A PDF version is available.