90 Years Austrian Standards Institute
From Standards for Everyday Life to Standards for the Future
Vienna (AS prm, 2010-05-20)
At a press conference held on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the Austrian Standards Institute in Vienna on Wednesday, 19 May, President Univ.-Prof. DDr. Walter Barfuss challenged the prejudices that the Institute is faced with. Managing Director Ing. Dr. Gerhard Hartmann and Deputy Managing Director DDr. Elisabeth Stampfl-Blaha explained the importance of standards for the economy in the national, European and international context and highlighted the role played by the Austrian Standards Institute.
- Univ.-Prof. DDr. Walter Barfuß
Standards originate in real life
Univ.-Prof. DDr. Walter Barfuss was particularly keen on counteracting the prejudice that standards were imposed from “above” and developed without public participation. “Standards originate in real life and are drawn up by those who need them and subsequently apply them in practice. Standards are always rooted in specific needs requiring concrete rules. The solution is developed in a dialogue and consensus of the stakeholders interested and affected.”
The Austrian Standards Institute (ASI) manages a network of 5,880 experts from diverse disciplines who contribute to the development of around 2,000 standards per year. ASI plays the role of an independent and impartial service organisation that provides the infrastructure for the preparation of standards and makes sure that the procedures for producing standards are transparent and traceable.
“Austrian Standards is not a public authority — we, ourselves, are the owners,” states Barfuss to clarify another misperception. ASI is generates 90% of its funds on its own, while grants merely account for ten percent of the budget. In contrast to the practice in most European countries, participants do not have to pay for their involvement in the standardisation process. “‘Those who pay have the say’ must not be a principle in Austrian standardisation,” stressed Barfuss.
- Ing. Dr. Gerhard Hartmann
Standards as an economic engine
“Standards are a powerful economic engine and benefit enterprises, the economy and the entire nation,” explained Ing. Dr. Gerhard Hartmann the economic aspect. International studies evidence that standards contribute around 25% to economic growth. For Austria, this means that standardisation accounts for one percent of the gross domestic product or two billion euro annually (as per 2010).
This amounts to around 250 euro per person living in Austria. The cost-benefit ratio is enormous for Austria’s economy: Each euro invested in standardization yields approximately fortyfold returns. Hence, standards strengthen Austria as a business location.
For enterprises, standards create a framework for business in a transparent and safe environment. They reduce transaction and market entry costs. Hartmann stated: “European standards have been a basic pillar in the implementation of the Internal Market as they eliminated differing national requirements and certification procedures.”
- DDr. Elisabeth Stampfl-Blaha
Austrian standardisation in an international context
Because of its increasing European and international orientation, the Austrian Standards Institute, founded under the name “Österreichischer Normenausschuss für Industrie und Gewerbe (Ö.N.I.G.)” in 1920, decided to drop its German name in mid-2009.
“Through the Austrian Standards Institute, Austrian experts can participate in European (CEN) and international standardisation (ISO). We consider it our responsibility to improve the system continuously and thereby make a valuable contribution to the further development of the economy and the society,” explains DDr. Elisabeth Stampfl-Blaha the pioneering role of the Austrian Standards Institute in the European and international context.
Austrian experts participate in more than 80 percent of European and international technical committees of CEN and ISO. As a result, Austria has more influence on the contents of the standards than might be expected given the countries small size.
The future of standards — four trends
Stampfl-Blaha described the future of standardisation by highlighting four trends:
- Because of increasing globalisation, standards become more international.
- The demand for standardisation rises in the service sector.
- On account of technological progress and shorter product cycles, the standardisation process speeds up.
- Standards increasingly form part of company strategy — also in small and medium-sized enterprises.
