Almost 4,000 UNE standards of the 33,000 standards in the Spanish catalogue are cited in national legislation, which is 12%. This was announced by the Spanish Association for Standardization, UNE, on the occasion of the Firm Steps campaign, which aims to highlight the advantages of technical standards for administrations, economic sectors, companies and consumers.
Among other advantages, the direct reference of UNE standards in the various regulations allows legal texts to be simplified, making it simpler and easier for companies to comply with legal requirements. It also fosters the capacity of Administrations to adapt to technological advances or create a framework for the innovation of products and services.
The reference to standards in public procurement documents ensures equal access, as they are publicly available documents, as set out in the Public Procurement Act. An example is the "Guide on the use of standards and accreditation in public procurement," published by ENAC and UNE.
This form of legislation, supported by technical standards, is called Intelligent Regulations, contributing to reducing the costs associated with legal compliance and simplifies the process. UNE standards help to modernise the Administration.
In addition, European standards support community regulation, playing a prominent role in the internal market. For example, thanks to the application of harmonised European standards in the presumption of conformity of the products launched on the market with the essential requirements regarding these products set out in the European Union's harmonisation of law. This is known as the EC's New Approach.
On the other hand, standards help organisations to achieve the 17 SDG's.
