This page specifies the processing and distribution of a draft for CENELEC Enquiry.
1.1 Once the Technical Body (TB) has approved the finalized draft received from the Working Group (WG) Convenor (prepared in accordance with CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations – Part 3) (see Process – Drafting of European Standards), the Technical Body Secretary submits it to CCMC for processing, via the Submission Interface, in two electronic formats, an agreed revisable WORD file and a non-revisable PDF file, together with separate figure files, if any. AFNOR-CEF, BSI and DKE are automatically notified thereof.
The delivery of the Enquiry draft to CCMC shall be done by the target date (stage code 30.99) indicated in the initial NWI proposal or adjusted WI plan (e.g. in case a tolerance has been requested, the plan will be adjusted with the new target dates).
A close and continuous monitoring of the target dates of the initial/adjusted plan is possible through Projex-Online.
1.2 While delivering before the planned target date is always possible (and desirable), late delivery will end up in two cases:
NOTE: The 9-month tolerance, if needed, has to be requested before the initially planned target date for the submission of the draft to Enquiry (30.99) (see 1.6 of the Section ‘Drafting of European Standards up to Enquiry stage’), and no longer within the 4 weeks of delay.
1.3 CCMC checks that all the documentation and electronic files have been supplied and that the deliverable corresponds to the database records.
1.4 Within 5 weeks, CCMC allocates a reference number, edits the text and makes it available through the FTP-server to all the National Committees (NC) in order to trigger the 8-week period of preparation prior to National Enquiry. At the same time, CCMC sends the document via E-trans to AFNOR-CEF, BSI and DKE for the Translation procedure of the remaining two official CENELEC language versions. During these 8 weeks any NC can request an extension of up to 4 weeks of the Enquiry ballot (by default the Enquiry is 12 weeks long). According to the Translation Procedure AFNOR-CEF, DKE and (when relevant) BSI can request extensions to the default 8-week translation period.
1.5 At the same time CCMC sends harmonized drafts requiring assessment to the relevant HAS Consultant(s).
1.6 The relevant HAS Consultant(s) provide(s) the assessment of the draft within 35 days (5 weeks) to CCMC.
1.7 The relevant NCs prepare the translations of the remaining two official CENELEC language versions and return them to CCMC within the specified timescales (default 8 weeks). In the case of unavailable translations, the relevant NCs will supply at least the translation of the title.
1.8 Immediately after expiry of the time period, CCMC dispatches the draft EN (prEN) in the available language versions (together with the assessment(s) of the HAS Consultant(s), where appropriate) to the CENELEC National Committees, the Partner Organizations, the Affiliates, the EC and EFTA Secretariat, the Technical Body Chair and Secretary. This is done on a weekly basis.
CCMC ensures that a corresponding ballot is open on the CENELEC electronic voting system. Late incoming translations to CCMC are circulated at the next available opportunity.
1.9 The CENELEC Members submit their vote and their comments, using the 'Commenting Form', through the CENELEC electronic voting system within the prescribed 12-week voting period. The CENELEC Members are required to cast unconditional votes and to justify any negative vote. In case of positive vote or abstention the justification is optional.
Second Enquiry drafts are submitted to the same conditions as a first Enquiry.
The Enquiry is a weighted vote according to CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations - Part 2 clause 6.
In addition, the CENELEC Members confirm, or comment on, the proposed date of announcement (doa), date of publication (dop) and date of withdrawal (dow). Any disagreement concerning the proposed doa, dop or dow is recorded by the CENELEC Members in the Commenting Form.
1.10 During Enquiry, the Societal Stakeholder Organizations (SSO) that are referred to as Annex III organizations in EU Regulation 1025/2012, amended by EU Regulation 2022/480, and that signed a partnership agreement with CEN or CENELEC have the right to submit an Opinion on the draft standards.
The SSO Secretariat fills in the Opinion template and sends it to the CENELEC Technical Board (BT) Secretariat (bt@cencenelec.eu) for handling following the agreed mechanism.
1.11 The CENELEC electronic voting system automatically closes the ballot once the deadline is reached. After the deadline of the CENELEC Enquiry, CCMC establishes the voting report, compiles the comments received and dispatches both the voting report and the comments to the CENELEC National Committees, the Partner Organizations, the Affiliates, the EC and EFTA Secretariat, the Technical Body Chair and Secretary.
1.12 The Technical Body Secretary makes available the Enquiry voting report and the compiled comments, together with the assessments of the HAS Consultant(s), if any, to the TC members.
1.13 Each comment resulting from the CENELEC Enquiry, irrespective of whether a positive vote on the draft has been given by the individual countries, is analysed and evaluated, and a decision is taken on each comment.
This may be carried out during a 'comments resolution meeting' of the Technical body that can decide to delegate the resolution of comments to the level of a Working Group (WG).
1.14 The Technical Body Secretary is responsible for the preparation of a so-called 'table of decisions', collecting the formal written proposals of the meeting (by completing the CENELEC Commenting Form, column ‘Observations of the Secretariat’) and circulating these documents, together with the revised draft, to the Technical Body for final decision on how to proceed (see 1.15 and 1.17).
1.15 When the Enquiry results meet the necessary approval criteria and no technical changes were accepted, the Technical Body decides by simple majority to skip the Formal Vote and proceed to publication - go to process 'Finalization and implementation of European Standards'- (maximum 4-week consultation period), taking into account the following:
NOTE: A Globally Relevant standard should:
In case a HAS Consultant provided a negative assessment, the Formal Vote shall not be skipped, unless the negatives assessment is resolved during the resolution of comments (see 1.12).
1.16 Where the decision by the Technical Body to skip the Formal Vote is positive, and registered at CCMC (dataservice@cencenelec.eu), the Technical Body submits, via the Submission Interface, the table of decisions from the Enquiry.
No text is to be delivered to CCMC for the publication. CCMC finalizes the publication using the enquiry draft as approved by CENELEC members taking into account editorial comments stemming from the Enquiry. No technical changes are permitted to this draft for publication.
1.17 If the Formal Vote is not skipped, the following options are possible:
1.18 In order to avoid deficient standards being published, in exceptional cases and with a justified request, BT can approve the integration of technical changes in the text after vote and before publication (BT decision D149/017) . In practice, the Permanent Delegate sends a letter, detailing the justification for this exceptional request (risk for deficient standard), with in Annex, the proposed visible revision to the voted text.
When a text is delivered to CCMC for the relevant stage it is allocated to a CCMC Editor for handling in line with the CEN-CENELEC Translation Procedure. The name and contact details are available in the work item details on Projex Online.
You will be able to see the planned balloting dates and dav (date of availability) on Projex online.