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- Agreement Reached on Cooperation with the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC)
Agreement Reached on Cooperation with the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC)
Promoting participation in the standardization of the electrical, electronic, and information technology fields in Europe
February 4, 2026
Joint News Release with the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC)
Today, the Japanese Industrial Standards Committee (JISC), for which the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) serves as the secretariat, has signed an agreement to become a Companion Standardization Body (CSB) of the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC). The agreement allows JISC observer participation through a simplified procedure in all Technical Committees (TCs) of CENELEC and in Joint Technical Committees (JTCs) of the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and CENELEC.
Today, in the presence of JISC President Dr. Endo Nobuhiro and Ambassador of the European Union to Japan Mr. Jean-Eric Paquet, the agreement was signed by JISC Secretary General Mr. Imamura Wataru and Acting Director General of CEN and CENELEC Ms. Cinzia Missiroli.
1. About the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC)
CENELEC is a European Standardization Organization officially recognized by the European Union (EU) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) to develop standards that support their policies and legislation.
In addition to developing standards within Europe, CENELEC promotes the development of international standards with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) under the Frankfurt Agreement, such as by jointly planning and proposing new standards.
2. Details of today’s agreement
The CENELEC Companion Standardization Body (CSB) status, which JISC was granted under today’s agreement, is a form of cooperation that allows national standardization bodies ineligible for CENELEC membership to observe any CENELEC TC or JTC through a simplified procedure requiring only relevant TC or JTC approval.
As CENELEC has significant influence on legislation and policy in Europe as well as on global standardization, this cooperation is expected to benefit both economic activities in Europe and the acceleration of international standardization.
Under this agreement, the following are possible:
- Observer registration of experts representing mirror committees (up to 3 experts and 1 interpreter per TC/JTC)
- Observer participation in meetings of TCs/JTCs for which experts are registered
- Access to documents of TCs/JTCs for which experts are registered
- Submission of comments to TCs/JTCs for which experts are registered
3. Application for observership in CENELEC
For further details, please refer to the IEC Activities Promotion Committee of Japan (IEC-APC) website. (in Japanese)
Division in Charge
International Electrotechnology Standardization Division, Innovation and Environment Policy Bureau