What are harmonized standards?

Harmonized standards are the European Standards developed by European Standards Organizations in response to a mandate granted by the European Commission after consultation with the Member States. They are published in the Official Journal of the European Union (C series). They take into account the essential requirements of directives and regulations, and they are the simplest measure for a manufacturer/importer to prove implied conformity of their product with the relevant directive/regulation.

While application of harmonized standards is voluntary, the priority is to meet requirements applicable to a specific product. Harmonized PN-EN standards are available at the ‘Standard and the Law’ page, ‘Directives, regulations and standards’ tag. The knowledge of harmonized standards is recommended even where the manufacturer has decided not to apply them. Harmonized standards are not a component of the European law.