Using standardization as a strategic instrument to create more market

Standards and norms are an important instrument in international competition for market access and future markets. They can provide access to markets, but may also prevent it. Successful standardisation provides technical rules for success on the market of innovative products and services.

It occurs in a national, European and international network. With their requirements, standards and norms define quality criteria and guarantee compatibility and interoperability.

Thus they facilitate cost degression due to high numbers of items and reduce the transaction costs.

Norms are in addition applied for the technical concretisation of laws.

Standards are the definitive building blocks for the export success of the electrical engineering and electronics industry.

Standards are gaining in significance due to the global value chain based on the division of labour that are developing increasingly strongly. Standards  given shape by the industry guarantee the fields of activity of the companies, facilitate a successful conversion of research and development results into products and promote their market success. Thus inventions can become innovations.

• On the basis of technology and market roadmaps we help to develop markets through standardisation.
• The ZVEI wants to help give shape to market access conditions worldwide and thus help to simplify the exchange of goods and guarantee international competitiveness through globally accepted international standards. We are committed to: “One Product – One Standard – One Test – Accepted Everywhere“ as the leitmotiv for work in the IEC.
• Through international networks we strengthen the representation of the interests of the electrical engineering and electronics industry in technical regulations and recognise trends in the standardisation and legislation in time.
• The ZVEI speaks up for the efficient creation of standardisation structures. The market’s and industry’s need is the standard. Standardisation must not be an ends in itself.
• Norms and standards must be market driven.
• We speak up for a balance between economy, quality requirements and protection objectives as the prerequisite for standardisation projects in line with market requirements.
• We are committed to fast market access at competitive costs. We want to avoid administrative obstacles and reduce them by proving conformity on the basis of the manufacturer’s self-declaration of conformity  as preferred tool.

Concrete ZVEI initiatives:

• ZVEI technology and market roadmaps as the basis for the standardisation
• ZVEI initiative: Gear the IEC master plan to the industry’s expectations
• ZVEI NEMA initiative: Harmonisation of the US American and European regulation and standardisation in medicine technology
• ZVEI standardisation initiative China