Primer on Standards - OEK - OVE

Mutual Recognition Agreements signed by CCAFFree circulation of goods throughout Europe presupposes market acceptance inone country of the national conformity marks delivered to the product in anothercountry, preferably without any retesting of the product and its correspondingcosts and delays. CENELEC has thus nurtured a series of mutual recognitionagreements between Conformity Assessment Bodies in different fields, as follows:CENELEC Certification Agreement (CCA) for the whole range of products coveredby the Low Voltage Directive, including IT equipmentHAR Agreement for electrical cables and cordsCECC System for electronic componentsLow Voltage Agreement Group (LOVAG) for low voltage switchgear and controlgearShort-circuit Testing Liaison Agreement (STLA) for high voltage switchgear andcontrolgearENEC Agreement for luminaires (and other equipment such as the safety of ITequipment on the basis of EN 60950)Keymark Agreement for household appliances.Mutual recognition of test results, inspection reports, certificates or marks ofconformity is a process by which an organization participating in a mutualrecognition arrangement gives confidence to its customers that testing, inspectionand/or certification performed by another participating organization is equallyacceptable as its own.The prerequisites for such mutual recognition are the following:The requirements for the products are specified in European StandardsThe procedures for assessment of new participating bodies and the criteria foracceptance of these bodies are harmonizedThe parties involved in the Conformity Assessment have earned mutual trustand apply the relevant standards in a uniform way28 CENELEC. <strong>Primer</strong> on Standards