1.5 Formulation process of a harmonized standard

Technical committees and working groups below them, which for the most part recruit from national standards committees and to some degree from the employees of manufacturers in the machinery manufacturing and sensor technology sector, occupy themselves in the CEN and CENELEC standards organizations with the formulation of standards in the area of machine safety. At the end of this work phase there is an approval process in which the members of the CEN, including Switzerland, decide in accordance with a quota system for or against the adoption of a standard as a harmonized European safety standard.

A total of 30 states participate in this process. With the publication of a harmonized European safety standard in the Official EU Journal, the aptly-name presumption of conformity applies, i.e. it is assumed with the achievement of the protective objectives of this standard that conformity with the corresponding directive for this safety aspect is ensured.

Vote weighting with the approval of a harmonized EU standard

An EU standard is harmonized with a simple majority and at least 71% of the weighted votes.