January 26, 2016 – The European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) and the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) have renewed their Cooperation Agreement with the Standards Council of Canada (SCC).

SCC is Canada’s representative at the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and International Standards Organization (ISO), and a member of the International Accreditation Forum.

PHOTO of signing ceremony in Brussels (January 2016). Seated: Elena Santiago Cid and John Walter. Standing (left to right): Francisco Verdera Mari, Hervé Gauthier, Sarah Penny, Kerstin Jorna, Daniel Costello (Canadian Ambassador to the European Union), Duncan De Lught, Alec Clark and Jean-Paul Vetsuypens. Photo © CEN-CENELEC.

“SCC and CEN and CENELEC are jointly committed to strengthening and increasing trading opportunities through the strategic utilization of standardization, thereby providing Canadians and Europeans with improved market access through reduced barriers to trade,” said SCC CEO John Walter.

The three organizations have decided to maintain and build on their cooperation initiated in 2012, says SCC, which contributes to the removal of technical barriers to trade and, thereby, helps facilitate the trade of goods and services between Canada and Europe.

“Canada is an important export market for European companies,” said Elena Santiago Cid, director general of CEN and CENELEC. “By continuing our successful cooperation with SCC, we can make further progress on removing technical barriers to trade, thereby supporting growth and jobs in Europe and Canada.”

SCC, CENELEC and CEN signed their first Cooperation Agreement in February 2012 with the aim of playing a constructive role in relation to the negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic & Trade Agreement between Canada and the EU (a.k.a. CETA). This Cooperation Agreement has provided a framework for the parties to exchange information and coordinate their activities in specific areas, such as Smart Energy Grids.