European Standards,[1][2] sometimes called Euronorm (abbreviated EN, from the German name Europäische Norm, "European Norm"),[3][4] are technical standards which have been ratified by one of the three European Standards Organizations (ESO): European Committee for Standardization (CEN), European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC), or European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI). All ENs are designed and created by all standards organizations and interested parties through a transparent, open, and consensual process.
European Standards are a key component of the Single European Market. They are crucial in facilitating trade and have high visibility among manufacturers inside and outside the European territory. A standard represents a model specification, a technical solution against which a market can trade.
European Standards must be transposed into a national standard in all EU member states. This guarantees that a manufacturer has easier access to the market of all these European countries when applying European Standards. Member countries must also withdraw any conflicting national standard: the EN supersedes any national standard. The current trend in Europe is oriented towards the harmonization of national standards under the Euronorm family.[5] Here, Euronorm becomes the equivalent of a national standard in all member countries and replaces any prior conflicting national standard.[6]