CEN/CLC Guide 17:2010

Guidance for writing standards taking into account micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) needs CEN/CLC Guide 17:2010

Scope

This Guide provides guidance to writers of European Standards on the needs of micro, small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) in order to avoid the exclusion of SMEs from the market and the distortion of fair competition.
This Guide is relevant to all involved in standardisation, i.e. standard writers in Working Groups or Technical Committees as well as members of national mirror committees. Not all principles presented in this guide necessarily have to apply to all standards. Therefore, TCs and WGs are the best place to evaluate if and how to address specific needs of SMEs in their standards.
This Guide contains:
a) Considerations for the development of standards that are best adapted to the SMEs needs;
b) Techniques for identifying and assessing provisions in standards that may especially impact SMEs;
c) Ways to reduce negative impacts on SMEs resulting from some provisions in standards;
d) Guidelines for writing SME friendly standards;
e) Guide checklist;
f) Information on how to make a micro enterprise impact of new standards.
NOTE In this Guide "standard" includes all CEN/CENELEC deliverables.