- The Spanish Association for Standardization, UNE, in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, hosted the Conference Standardization: A Strategic Instrument for the Climate and Digital Transition, which highlighted the key role that Standards play in achieving these objectives.
- In the event, the opening ceremony was attended by Francisco Antonio Blanco, from Spanish Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, and Maive Rute, from the European Commission. For their part, Alfredo Berges, from UNE, and Matías González, Secretary of State for Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructures, closed the event.
Madrid, 10th October 2023 - Under the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Spanish Association for Standardization, UNE, in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, hosted the Conference Standardization: a Strategic Instrument for the Climate and Digital Transition, which highlighted the key role that Standards play in achieving these objectives.
In the event, experts from the business industries, public Administrations and international and European standardization bodies agreed to present Standards as useful and reliable tools to reduce emissions and adapt to the effects of climate change and establish a common language, with solid and agreed frameworks, in order to achieve digital transformation.
This conference highlighted the contribution of standardization to achieving Spanish Presidency’s priorities: reindustrializing the EU and guaranteeing its open strategic autonomy, advancing in the green transition, promoting greater social and economic justice, and strengthening European unity, and particularly the first two.
The opening ceremony was attended by Francisco Antonio Blanco, Secretary-General for Industry and SMEs in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, and Maive Rute, Deputy Director-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs in the European Commission. For their part, the President of UNE, Alfredo Berges, and the Secretary-General of Telecommunications and Organization of Audiovisual Communication Services and Secretary of State for Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructures, Matías González, closed the event.
During his speech, the Secretary-General for Industry and SMEs stressed that “an agile and efficient standardization system allows the European Union to retain its influence and lead the development of global Standards in areas such as hydrogen, batteries, chemicals, cybersecurity, etc. which enable European industry to implement the green and digital transitions while enhancing its competitiveness and resilience”.
The president of UNE, Alfredo Berges, highlighted “the importance of standardization as an example of public-private collaboration dynamizing and enhancing the impact of public policies. The confidence placed by public, European and national authorities in our activity is key to motivate the business fabric to continue investing in it, to successfully overcome the great challenges ahead”.
Several expert panels were held throughout the day. The first, under the title “Standardization Policy for European Industry”, dealt with the standardization system and its relation to boosting the internal market, European leadership in the world and building investor confidence, from a business point of view.
For this reason, the event was attended by the Secretary-General of SBS (representing SMEunited), Maitane Olabarria; the Secretary-General of CEPYME, Luis Aribayos; the Director of the Industry, Energy, Environment and Climate Department of the CEOE, Cristina Rivero; the Director of the Internal Market Department of BUSINESSEUROPE, Martynas Barysas; and the Head of the EIB Madrid Group office of the European Investment Bank, Fernando Torija.
The second panel on “Industrial Transition to a Green and Digital Economy” highlighted the vision of European and international standardization bodies and their contribution to help companies address their challenges in the green and digital economy. In addition, it has counted on the point of view of industry and companies.
The panel included the Director of the European standardization organizations CEN and CENELEC, Elena Santiago; the Director-General of ETSI, Luis Jorge Romero; the Director-General of UNE and Vice president of ISO, Javier García; and the Secretary-General and Director General of IEC, Philippe Metzger.
All of them agreed on the relevant contribution of Standards to overcome the climate crisis and the digital transition. On the one hand, Standards are useful and reliable tools for reducing emissions, adapting to the effects of climate change and aligning adequate financing to achieve these objectives. Among the new Standards that will contribute to curbing climate change is the Net Zero Guidelines, an international Standard developed by more than 1,200 organizations and individuals from 100 countries, including Spain. UNE led its global translation into Spanish. UNE led its global translation into Spanish. It will help companies worldwide to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The Supporting Standardization for the Ecological Transition Report highlights the key role of Standards in boosting the ecological transition.
On the other hand, Standards are a pillar for the digital transformation of companies, establishing a common language and providing security and confidence in products and services, through solid and consensual frameworks. This is revealed in the UNE’s Supporting Standardization for Digital Transformation Report.
An illustrative example is the international Standard UNE-EN ISO/IEC 27001, which promotes cybersecurity and protects systems and information in public and private organizations.
Industry representatives then gave their views on how Standards are driving the green and digital transition, discussing such business-critical topics as net zero emissions and clean technologies, as well as critical raw materials and data governance.
The panel included the Director-General of OFICEMEN, Aniceto Zaragoza; the Head of Sustainability at ISO, Noelia García; the Secretary of AeH2, Miguel Antonio Peña; the Director of the Industry and Environment Area of ANFAC, Arancha García; the Director-General of AEE, Juan Virgilio Márquez; the Director of BARCELONA SUPERCOMPUTING CENTER, Mateo Valero; the Expert in battery regulation of STELLANTIS, Gérald Crepeau; the IPCEI contact point of AMETIC, José María Insenser; the Director of Standardization of INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG, Uwe Rüddenklau; and the Professor of the UCLM and founding partner in DQTEAM, Mario Gerardo Piattini
