Participation of consumers into standardization
The Czech Consumer Association (SCS) focuses on enhancing consumer involvement in standardization on a long term basis, with a view to reach a systematic, permanent and regular participation. In the year 2009 SCS established the Cabinet for Standardization, a Public Service Company, whose main objective is to increase the effectiveness of the above mentioned effort. Information on activities of the Cabinet has been presented on several Czech, as well as international platforms (ANEC, ISO COPOLCO).
The Cabinet Steering Committee assists in prioritising the tasks of the Cabinet and also participates in some of its activities. The Committee not only consists of representatives from consumer byckground but also from other crucial stakeholders such as testing laboratories, the accreditation body, the national standardization body, small and medium enterprises and some others. SCS concluded some important partnership agreements which recognized the Cabinet as a coordination centre for all areas of participation in standardization. These partners are the National Council of the Disabled, the Czech Retirement Association and also the Association of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises. This has increased the credibility of the Cabinet which is an important asset for further development of the consumers’ participation in standardization.
We developed special web sites related to participation of consumers in standardization - see. In the year 2017 SCS and the Cabinet adopted the Concept of the Czech consumers in participation 2017 - 21 - TOWARDS STANDARDIZATION IN THE 21ST CENTURY – … through deeds - not just words! The crucial paper is avilable in the Czech language only, but a leflet in Czech/English format was issued as well - see here.