Vienna Agreement
7th edition, 2016

Guidelines
for the implementationof the Agreement
on Technical Cooperation
between ISO and CEN(the Vienna Agreement)

Vienna
Agreement
Guidelines
for the implementationof the agreement
on technical cooperation
between ISO and CEN

Table of contents
Preamble ..................................................................................................... 3
1. Introduction .......................................................................................... 5
2. Cooperation by correspondence ...................................................... 7
3. Cooperation through mutual representation
at meetings of committees and working groups ..........................8
4. Adoption by one organization of available publications
from the other organization ............................................................ 10
5. Cooperation by mutually agreed allocation of workwith parallel approval of publications in ISO and CEN ...............11
6. Maintenance of identical ISO and CEN publications .................18

Annexes
Annex A to the Guidelines ...........................................................20
Detailed processes for parallel development and approvalof common ISO/CEN Standards

Annex B to the Guidelines ........................................................... 37
Joint Co-ordination Group (JCG) of the ISO Technical Management
Board (ISO/TMB) and the CEN Technical Board (CEN/BT)

Annex C to the Guidelines ...........................................................38
Particular case of common ISO/CEN publications intended
to support European legislation

Annex D to the Guidelines .......................................................... 39
Flowchart for parallel development and approvalof common ISO/CEN Standards intended to support
European legislation (ISO lead)

Frequently asked questions www.iso.org/va

Preamble
The Agreement on technical cooperation between ISO and CEN(Vienna Agreement) was formally approved on 27 June 1991 in Vienna
by the CEN Administrative Board following its approval by the ISO
Executive Board at its meeting on 16 and 17 May 1991 in Geneva.
In order to facilitate its implementation, this agreement was accompanied by common ISO/CEN guidelines for Technical Committee or
Subcommitee (TC/SC) Chairmen and secretariats, which were revised
successively in 1996 and 1998 to incorporate a number of improvements which had been found necessary on the basis of experience,
together with changes required following some modifications of rulesin ISO and CEN.
After a decade of experience, the need for the Agreement was confirmed by both ISO and CEN and a simplified version, setting out
the principles of the original version, was confirmed by ISO Council
Resolution 35/2001 and CEN Administrative Board Resolution 2/2001.
The past few decades have seen a significant increase in the global
membership of ISO as an organization. Many new countries havejoined the organization and have the opportunity to contributeto the development of the best possible and globally relevant ISO
standards. Given these changing global dynamics, it is important totake this opportunity to review the ISO/CEN Vienna Agreement (VA)
and ensure that the rights of all ISO members are supported in thedevelopment of globally relevant International Standards.
There have been many very positive and successful cases of VA
implementation in various committees and sectors. But there havealso been other committees and sectors for which this has not been
a positive experience. While the good intention and text of the VA
Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition – 3

itself continues to provide value, difficulties have arisen in
the implementation of the VA and in the training and education of National Standards Bodies (NSBs), committee leaders, delegates, experts and Technical Programme Managers(TPMs) on the proper implementation of the VA. With its
Resolution 107/2011, the ISO Technical Management Board(ISO/TMB) had established a Task Force (VATF) which wasrequested to review the VA Guidelines and to come forwardwith proposals for improvements. The final report of the VATF
and the recommendations were approved by ISO/TMB and by
the CEN Technical Board (CEN/BT).
All relevant and updated operational and process specifications are grouped in this new edition of the Guidelines for the
implementation of the Agreement on technical cooperation
between ISO and CEN (Vienna Agreement). ISO, CEN and
NSBs must make even greater efforts to train and educate
TPMs, PMs, committee leaders and delegates/experts properly on the VA and its implementation. Clearly, the data andinformation on VA implementation and CEN lead from 2001 to
the present shows that many parties within the system do notunderstand the intentions of the 2001 VA revision and have notbeen implementing the VA appropriately. This is particularly
critical in committees whose work impacts on regulated sectors
where standards work advanced under the VA can have public
policy implications. For further information or clarification on
the implementation of the Vienna Agreement, please contact
va@iso.org.

4 – Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition

1. Introduction
As with any other business, standardization has to be carried out asefficiently as possible. This implies that duplication of work should be
avoided and synergies should be developed. Within this context, theAgreement on technical cooperation between ISO and CEN has beendeveloped with the aim of optimizing the use of available resourcesand expertise for the benefit of the stakeholders of both organizations.
Indeed, essential provisions in the Agreement cover the development
and adoption of identical ISO and CEN Standards, with the characteristics and usefulness resulting from both statuses, whereas thedrafting work is carried out only once, in one organization.
There are some principles to be respected for the Agreement toproduce these intended useful results, notably :▸▸ that all participants in the process adhere to the basic values
to which both ISO and CEN are committed, notablytransparency and openness▸▸ that the operations are carried out in accordance with the rules,
policies and procedures of either ISO or CEN, as relevant for
their respective activities▸▸ that standards have to take into account relevant regulatoryneeds▸▸ that when expected results are not attained, the party which
is not satisfied can decide to proceed separately▸▸ that the standard shall be globally relevant in accordancewith the principles of ISO

Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition – 5▸▸ that ISO lead is the preferred option
whenever the acceptance criteria
for new work item proposals (NWIPs)
are fulfilled (see Subclause 2.3.5 of
the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1)▸▸ that CEN lead is only possible if
this is supported by a simple majorityof the P-members of the respective
ISO committee that are not CEN
national members▸▸ that exemptions are only possible
where there are legitimate
reasons which are acceptable
to the non-CEN national members(e.g. EC Standardization Requests)▸▸ that, as a matter of principle,
ISO meetings should be heldin different regions around the world▸▸ that, when taking decisions on places
for meetings, committees have totake into account different criteria,such as participation, reduction of
cost for experts, visibility in different
regions, etc.
The Agreement itself includes the mainprinciples and essential provisions. These
Guidelines develop them and translatethem into operational terms.
6 – Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition

2. Cooperationby correspondence
Provisions for exchange of information between an ISO and a
CEN committee are established, where necessary, by common agreement between the secretariats of these committees. Each committee
may decide on the detailed provisions for making available to its
members the documents received from the other organization :for example, all documents, reports of meetings only, drafts of standards only. Formal comments sent by the secretariat of one committee
to its counterpart shall reflect the views of the committee.
In addition to comments from an ISO committee, CEN agrees to
accept comments on any prEN at CEN enquiry stage from ISO member bodies outside CEN. These comments should be sent directly
to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre (CCMC) with copy to the
ISO Central Secretariat (ISO/CS). CCMC shall forward such comments to the appropriate CEN technical body. This body shall reportback to CCMC. CCMC shall in turn inform the ISO member body of
the action taken, with copy to ISO/CS.

Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition – 7

3. Cooperation throughmutual representation
at meetings of committees
and working groups
Questions of common interest

the secretariat of the commit-

to both an ISO and a CEN tech-tee of the other organization ofnical body may call for mutual

any relevant committee resolu-

representation at meetings.

tion as well as of the necessary

Arrangements for such repre-

information about the rep-sentation should be made as

resentatives (name, address

early in the process as possible.

and function in the committee

It is to be noted that, whilst thewhich is nominating them).

Vienna Agreement provides
for mutual representation atmeetings (ISO representatives
at CEN meetings and CEN representatives at ISO meetings),
this may not always be essential and will need to be decided
by committees on a case bycase basis.
Representatives shall be formally appointed by the ISO or
CEN committee nominatingthem. The secretariat of this ISO
or CEN committee shall advise
8 – Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition

Up to four representatives
may be appointed to attend
meetings of technical bodiesof the other organization. In
relation to representatives ofan ISO committee to attend a
CEN technical body meeting,preference will be given to delegates from ISO members thatare not CEN national members.
Representatives of an ISO or
CEN committee attending ameeting of a committee ofthe other organization shallrepresent the consolidated

Note : It may be useful on occa-

view of the committee nomi-

sions to hold consecutive meet-nating them. The notification

ings of ISO and CEN technicalappointing them (see above)

bodies in the same location andshall include the nomination

within the same timeframes.

of a head of delegation.

However, common meetings

Representatives of an ISO or
CEN committee attending ameeting of a working groupof the other organization shallhave the status of observers.
Nonetheless, they are expected
to make contributions on identified items of their concern.
Like all other participants, they
are expected to display a positive and constructive attitude.
An invitation from the parent

shall be avoided. Additionally,
ISO/CS and CCMC are willingto organize on a case by casebasis, in mutual consultation,
joint coordination meetings ofappropriate representatives of
ISO and CEN technical bodies inorder to solve specific problems
such as overlaps of programmesof work or parallel voting resulting in diverging results of votes
in ISO and CEN.

committee of the working
group is not required.

Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition – 9

4. Adoption by one organizationof available publications
from the other organization
The organization whichwants to adopt an available
publication from the otherorganization submits it to its
own adoption procedures.
Ideally, this publication
should be adopted withoutchange. If this is not possible, the secretary of theBoth ISO/CS and CCMC must

committee responsible forbe informed of such con-the project in the organiza-

sultations and are available

tion which wants to adopt

for help. The revision of thethe available publication

publication using the parallel

shall contact the secretary

ISO/CEN approval procedureof the committee which has

is in principle the best way

developed the publication

forward. If this is not possi-

in the other organization inble, the adoption of a modi-

order to examine the possible

fied version of the available

solutions.

publication should be envisaged. This modified version
shall include information on
the nature and reasons forthe changes to the original
publication.

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5. Cooperation by mutuallyagreed allocation of workwith parallel approval ofstandards in ISO and CEN
5.1 General
This clause 5 describes the main procedures for the parallel approvalof standards in ISO and CEN, irrespective of which organization is
responsible for developing the standard (the lead organization).
More detailed guidance for the development and parallel approvalof European and International Standards is given in Annex A.
It is to be noted that other types of publications (Technical Specifications, Technical Reports and Guides) may also be processed in parallel between ISO and CEN. Guidance may be found in the “ Frequently
asked questions ” or is available from CCMC or ISO/CS.

5.2 Decision on ISO lead or CEN lead
ISO lead is the preferred option whenever the acceptance criteria for
NWIP are fulfilled (see Subclause 2.3.5 of the ISO/IEC Directives,
Part 1). Exceptional CEN lead is only possible if the P-members of
the respective ISO committee that are not CEN national members
agree by simple majority to allow the CEN committee to lead. This
recognizes and provides an opportunity for CEN lead where there may
be legitimate reasons which are acceptable to the non-CEN national
members. CEN national members are never at any disadvantage in a

Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition – 11

question regarding lead as they have the right to participate actively
in both ISO and CEN. Therefore, there is no need for all P-membersof the ISO committee to decide on CEN lead. The CEN committee
should only decide on whether it wishes to accept CEN lead when
the non-CEN national members of the ISO committee have agreed
by simple majority to that arrangement.
EC funding should not be a factor in taking decisions on lead assignment. In cases of standards linked to EC Standardization Requests,
if an ISO committee agrees that the project should advance under
CEN lead based on clear documentation that the ISO committee
cannot meet the EC Standardization Request, then the decision isdelegated to the respective ISO committee. Only cases of dispute shallbe presented to both ISO/TMB and CEN/BT.

5.3 Decision to carry out a parallel approvalof a standard in ISO and CENStandardization is a voluntary activity in which the stakeholders
themselves determine which standards are needed at the international and European levels. Similarly, it is the stakeholders participating in a technical body of one of the organizations who decide thatwork being carried out in the other organization should be prepared
as a ’common ISO/CEN standard’ and consequently needs to be submitted to parallel approval procedures in both organizations.
Such a decision must be taken as early as possible in the process.
Obviously, a pre-requisite is that there is a demonstrated need for an
International Standard and a European Standard on that particular
topic, this being achieved through the relevant procedures in eachorganization for the approval of new work and ensuring its market
relevance. Indeed, one of the major difficulties in implementation
12 – Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition

of the Vienna Agreement has been to synchronize the work in ISO
and CEN. For example, requests have been received to submit texts
for parallel processing without there being approved relevant work
items in both ISO and CEN. In such circumstances, either the work
must be delayed while the other organization fulfills its procedural
requirements for approval of the new work item, or the work will be
continued independently in the lead organization.
Although the procedures may be synchronized at a later stage (seebelow), it is by far preferable that the whole parallel approval process
be synchronized. For this purpose, the ISO and CEN committee secretariats shall ensure that the required steps (approval of the work item
and formal committee decision concerning allocation of the work)
have been taken in both organizations well in advance of the submission of the text of a standard for the enquiry stage. Furthermore, it isessential that both ISO/CS and CCMC are kept fully informed of therelevant decisions of the CEN and ISO committees.
However, in exceptional cases, work may be well advanced in one ofthe organizations, before the other determines the need for a standard
on a particular topic. If the second organization approves such a work
item before the lead organization has initiated its approval process,then the whole approval process may be carried out in parallel. If
the lead organization has already initiated its approval process, thesecretariat of the responsible committee in the second organization
shall contact its central secretariat (ISO/CS or CCMC) in order tostart a consultation on a way forward that meets the need of allinterested parties (the secretariats of both ISO and CEN committees,
ISO/CS and CCMC).
In the case of preparation of an EN and ISO Standard, it is sometimes
possible for the second organization to carry out its own enquiry
independently, following which the ISO and CEN procedures canVienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition – 13

be synchronized by carrying out a parallel Formal Vote – ISO/FDIS(see Annex A). Otherwise, the second organization will have to await
the finalization of the publication in the lead organization and submit
this finalized publication to its own approval procedures (see clause 4).

5.4 Drafting stage (CEN)/Preparatory
and committee stages (ISO)The document is drafted by the responsible committee in the leadorganization in accordance with the policies, rules and proceduresof that organization, while keeping the other organization informed.
All parallel procedure documents are to be drafted using the “ ISOtemplate ” and normative references shall not be made to EN ISO
standards but to the corresponding ISO International Standards.
All drafts should be shared at an early stage as soon as the text is
sufficiently mature (including WD and CD). The secretary of the
responsible committee in the lead organization sends a copy of thecommittee documents relevant to the publication in preparation to
his/her counterpart in the second organization (see clause 2). The
responsible committee in the other organization may comment onthese documents and appoint representatives to participate in themeetings of the responsible committee and working group of the leadorganization under the conditions stipulated in clause 3.

5.5 Enquiry stage
The decision to submit a draft to enquiry (ISO/DIS – CEN Enquiry) istaken by the responsible body of the lead organization in accordancewith the rules and procedures of that organization.
The synchronization of the ISO/DIS and CEN Enquiry proceduresis ensured by ISO/CS and CCMC. ISO member bodies shall return
14 – Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition

their votes and comments to ISO/CS and CEN national members
additionally to CCMC.
At the close of the enquiry, the responsible body in the lead organization examines the results of both the ISO/DIS and CEN Enquiry
procedures. All the replies and comments (including the commentsof the New Approach Consultant (NAC) in cases of standards linked
to EC Standardization Requests, see Annex C) to the ISO/DIS andCEN Enquiry shall be considered in depth, taken into account andresponded to in the table of decisions (CEN)/report of voting (ISO).
ISO/CS is authorized to refuse drafts for ISO/FDIS – CEN Formal vote in
the case of an incomplete table of decisions/report of voting. In case of
CEN lead, comment resolution following voting should be conductedjointly by both committees, preferably by a comments resolution panel
comprising experts from both committees. Replies are to be given tocomments received both at European and International level.
Should the draft standard be approved in both ISO and CEN at theenquiry stage it should proceed to publication by skipping the
ISO/FDIS – CEN Formal Vote procedure.
Note : Should the CEN Enquiry results fulfil the approval criteria, theresponsible CEN technical body takes a decision whether to skip theFormal Vote or not. The corresponding ISO technical body shall be
informed of the CEN technical body decision.
Should the enquiry results fulfil the approval criteria but it is agreed
by the lead organization to include an ISO/FDIS – CEN Formal Votestage, the responsible technical body of the lead organization preparesa revised draft for submission to parallel ISO/FDIS – CEN Formal Vote.
Note : An FDIS vote is required when technical changes are made toenquiry drafts under the Vienna Agreement.

Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition – 15

5.6 Formal approval stage
The decision to submit a draft to formal approval (e.g. for an EN ISO
Standard : ISO/FDIS – CEN Formal Vote) is taken by the responsible
body of the lead organization in accordance with the rules and procedures of that lead organization.
The synchronization of the formal approval procedures is ensured
by ISO/CS and CCMC.
ISO member bodies shall return their votes to ISO/CS and CEN members shall return their votes to CCMC as well.
ISO/CS and CCMC establish the results of votes in their respective
organizations in accordance with their own rules, and decide on thefollow-up actions on the basis of the following principles :Result of vote Positivein ISO
Result of vote Positivein CEN
Decision
Identical
publicationsin ISO and CEN(see 5.7.1)

16 – Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition

Positive

Negative

Negative

Negative

Positive

Negative

Consultation
between ISO
and CEN(see 5.7.2)

Consultation
between ISO
and CEN(see 5.7.2)

Consultation
between ISO
and CEN.
Return of draft
to responsible
committee

5.7 Publication
5.7.1
After a positive result of vote in both ISO and CEN, ISO/CS finalizes and publishes the adopted International Standard. In cases of
CEN lead, there is a proofing stage carried out by the TC secretariat
before publication.
CCMC circulates the corresponding European Standard for implementation by the CEN Members. The French and English versions
consist only of a title page and European foreword, introduction andEuropean annexes, if any. The German version (if available) includes
in addition the German translation of the ISO publication.
5.7.2
After a positive result of vote in one organization and a negative
result in the other one, a consultation between ISO/CS and CCMC
takes place involving committee officers. When taking decisions on
how to proceed based on voting results and comments, committee
leaders and secretariats have to take into account the decisions of
the respective committees. If it seems likely that the negative votes
which resulted in the text being disapproved can be resolved, a second parallel vote may be carried out. If the consultation shows that
there is no immediate possibility for reconciling the comments that
resulted in disapproval of the document, each organization proceedsin accordance with its own rules.

Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition – 17

6. Maintenance of identical
ISO and CEN standards
6.1 GeneralStandards may be subsequently modified by a number of
mechanisms. The mechanisms used to modify in parallel
identical ISO and CEN standards are described below.
The acceptance criteria for NWIP have to be fulfilled(see Subclause 2.3.5 of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1). Asa matter of principle, all ISO standards that are VA projects
shall have their revisions take place under ISO lead. Exemptions are only possible where there are legitimate reasons
which are acceptable to the non-CEN national members,
demonstrated by simple majority vote.
Any past ISO committee resolutions specifying that all standards or groups of standards in a specific field or committee
should be developed automatically under CEN lead are void.

6.2 Technical corrigenda (ISO) –Corrigenda (CEN)
When errors have been detected in a standard and the committee secretariat and ISO/CS have agreed that a corrigendum
should be prepared, CCMC shall be informed. Appropriate
steps will be agreed between ISO/CS and CCMC for announcement/issue of the corrigendum in parallel.
18 – Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition

6.3 Minor revisions
When a committee has agreed that a standard requires that factual information be updated, it shall draw this to the attentionof ISO/CS or CCMC, as appropriate. If this is approved, the otherorganization shall be informed so that the relevant procedures
can be carried out in parallel : Formal vote (12 weeks) in ISO andEnquiry (12 weeks) in CEN.

6.4 Revision of, and amendment to,identical ISO and CEN standards
6.4.1 ISO initiative
As soon as CCMC is informed that ISO has decided to revise or toamend an ISO standard for which there is an identical CEN standard
in existence, it will create a corresponding work item in CEN in orderto carry out a parallel approval procedure on the draft revision oramendment under ISO leadership.
CCMC shall inform ISO/CS and the secretary of the responsible
CEN/TC (if any) thereof. The provisions in clause 5 shall apply.
6.4.2 CEN initiative
As soon as a CEN/TC has determined that there is a need to revise
or to amend an EN for which there is an identical ISO standard in
existence, the CEN/TC secretary shall provide a justification to CCMC
who will propose to ISO/CS that this revision or amendment be carried out in parallel under ISO leadership. This provision also applies
when the original publication was developed under CEN leadership
Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition – 19

Annex A to the Guidelines
Detailed processes for parallel development and approvalof common ISO/CEN standards.

A.1 Transfer of work from CEN to ISO –ISO leadershipA.1.1 Decision to apply the parallel approval procedure
The CEN/TC secretary should ensure beforehand that a corresponding
item already exists in the ISO work programme and that the project isstill at an early stage (no DIS vote launched). The ISO reference shallbe communicated to CCMC.
The CEN/TC shall notify CCMC of their decision to transfer a work
item to ISO.
Two cases may occur :▸▸ The item does not exist in the CEN programme of work. In thiscase, the CEN/TC takes a delegated decision for the creationof a new work item, specifying its direct transfer to ISO under
the Vienna Agreement (see BOSS – Formatted decisions…)▸▸ The item already exists in the CEN programme of work. In thatcase, the CEN/TC takes a delegated decision for the transfer
of an existing work item to ISO under the Vienna Agreement(see BOSS – Formatted decisions…)
If all the necessary information is available, a new work item iscreated or an existing one amended through the usual procedureof CCMC and registered under the Vienna Agreement for processing
to a parallel vote under ISO lead.
20 – Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition

CCMC informs ISO/CS of their decision to apply the Vienna Agreement. ISO/CS confirms that the work item is approved in ISO.
The respective databases are aligned by exchanging the CEN work
item number and the ISO identification number.
With this transfer, the CEN/TC stops all drafting work on this subject
and instead follows the progress of work at ISO level. It should however be understood that CEN can decide to take the work item backinto the CEN/TC if the work in ISO does not meet CEN requirements,
e.g. in terms of timing or content.
A.1.2 Drafting
The ISO committee secretary sends a copy of the documents relevantto the standard in preparation to the CEN/TC secretary. The CEN/TC
is allowed to comment on these documents and to appoint representatives to participate in the meetings of the responsible committee
and working group in the lead organization under the conditions
stipulated in clause 3.
A.1.3 ISO/DIS – CEN enquiry▸▸ When consensus has been reached in the ISO committee,
the committee secretariat sends copies of the committee draft
in English and possibly in French to ISO/CS for distribution
as a draft International Standard (DIS)▸▸ ISO/CS will notify DIN for the German translation required
for the CEN Enquiry at the same time that AFNOR is notified
for the French translation (8 weeks)▸▸ During the translation, CCMC submits the draft to the New
Approach Consultant (NAC) for assessment if the CEN work
item has been identified as one requiring assessment
Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition – 21

▸▸ If the NAC provides a negative assessment, CCMC,
the Consultant as well as the CEN/TC and CEN/WG
leadership examine which follow-up actions are required.
The CEN/TC Secretary shall at all moments informthe ISO/TC of the progress▸▸ ISO/CS notifies CCMC (with a copy to DIN), with atleast 1 weeks’ notice, of the dates of the DIS votefor synchronization purposes▸▸ ISO/CS circulates the English and French versions to
the ISO and CEN Members, indicating on the cover page thatthe DIS covers a subject of interest to European standardizationand that consultation of ISO/CEN member bodies on the DIS
has the same effect as the CEN Enquiry on the draft European
Standard▸▸ At the same time, CCMC prepares the CEN Dispatch Notice andreleases the German version and NAC’s assessment, if available▸▸ 12 weeks are allowed for voting and commenting on this text▸▸ The ISO member bodies cast their vote and submit comments
to ISO/CS. The CEN member bodies return their reply andcomments to CCMC as well. Should the position returnedby an ISO/CEN member to CCMC differ from that returned
to ISO/CS, that ISO/CEN member shall provide a detailed
technical justification with both replies. At the end of the voting
period, CCMC establishes the “ Report on the parallel enquiryof CEN members ” and makes it available to the ISO committee
secretariat for consideration and to ISO/CS for information.
ISO/CS makes available to the ISO committee secretariat
and chairman all the votes, replies and comments received
for consideration
22 – Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition

Results of the parallel CEN Enquiry/DIS
After evaluation of the results of the parallel enquiry, the following
decisions may be taken by the ISO committee (skipping the FDIS does
not require a decision from the ISO Technical Body) :▸▸ to continue further and to prepare the parallel Formal
Vote/FDIS (see below)▸▸ to launch a 2nd enquiry (generally of 8 weeks). In this case,
CCMC follows the ISO decision and the drafts are submitted
to a 2nd parallel CEN Enquiry/DIS, following the proceduredescribed above▸▸ to finalize the draft as TS or TR▸▸ to stop the work and to delete the subject. In this particularcase, the CEN/TC may decide to continue the work on its own(no longer under VA) or to delete the work item
Note : Draft standards having passed the CEN Enquiry with more than
71 % approval but having received a negative NAC assessment should,
in principle, not skip the Formal Vote.
A.1.4 ISO/FDIS – CEN formal vote▸▸ Once a final text has been agreed upon, the ISO/TC secretariat
sends it in English and possibly in French to ISO/CS for issue
as a FDIS, together with a full report of voting including allcomments from both ISO and CEN members received at the
DIS /CEN Enquiry stage as well as adequate responses anddecisions related to these comments▸▸ ISO/CS will notify DIN for the German translation as wellas transmit copies of the edited text and subsequently the
Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition – 23

proof-read text to DIN. At the same time, ISO/CS notifies AFNOR
for the French translation (8 weeks)▸▸ ISO/CS circulates the English and French versions to the ISO
and CEN Members, indicating on the cover page that the
FDIS covers a subject of interest to European standardizationand that consultation of ISO/CEN member bodies on the
FDIS has the same effect as the CEN Formal Vote on the draft
European Standard▸▸ At the same time, CCMC prepares the CEN Dispatch Noticeand releases the German version▸▸ 12 weeks are allowed for voting on this text▸▸ The ISO member bodies cast their vote to ISO/CS. The CEN
member bodies cast their vote to CCMC as well. Should thevote returned by an ISO/CEN member to CCMC differ fromthat returned to ISO/CS, the ISO/CEN member shall provide
a detailed technical justification together with both votes▸▸ During the vote, CCMC submits the draft to the New Approach
Consultant for assessment (4 weeks) if the CEN work item has
been identified as one requiring such review.
▸▸ If the Consultant provides a negative assessment,
the Consultant as well as the CEN/TC and CEN/WG leadershipexamine which follow-up actions are required (possibly
BT involvement). The CEN/TC Secretary shall at all moments
inform the ISO/TC of the progress▸▸ ISO/CS makes available to the ISO committee secretariat
and chairman all the results of vote from its member bodies
for information

24 – Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition

Results of the parallel CEN Formal Vote/FDIS
After evaluation of the results of the votes at ISO/CS and CCMC,
the following decisions may be taken :The results of the vote are positive at ISO and CEN.
▸▸ In this case, ISO/CS notifies CCMC (with a copy to DIN) of thedate of publication and the standard is published by ISO andin parallel is made available by CEN with an EN ISO number.
The results of the vote are positive at ISO and negative at CEN.
▸▸ A consultation between ISO and CEN takes place (see 5.7.2).
In the absence of a more constructive solution, the likely
outcome is for the document to be published as ISO xxx only.
The results of the vote are negative at ISO and positive at CEN.
▸▸ A consultation between ISO and CEN takes place (see 5.7.2).
In the absence of a more constructive solution, the likely
outcome is for the document to be published as EN yyy only.
The results of the vote are negative at ISO and CEN.
▸▸ A consultation between ISO and CEN takes place. The following
decisions may be taken :• to reconsider the text at the committee level with a viewto either issuing a further draft for parallel enquiry or
to submit the draft to a 2nd parallel formal vote following
the procedure described above• to finalize the draft as TS or TR• to stop the work and delete the item

Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition – 25

A.1.5 Particular cases (re-synchronization)
Although this should be avoided as far as possible (see clause 5.3),
the transfer of a CEN work item to ISO may be requested – or madenecessary – after the DIS vote has been launched in ISO. In thiscase, the possibility to re-synchronize by one of the following
methods in order to proceed to a parallel CEN Formal Vote/FDIS
may be considered.
▸▸ One possibility is to carry out a parallel enquiry although
ISO has already carried out a first DIS vote. This means thata 2nd DIS vote is launched at ISO level and a first CEN Enquiry
is launched in parallel in CEN. A.1.3 is applied.
In this case, the ISO committee shall agree to apply thisapproach as delay may occur.
▸▸ The re-synchronization may also occur by launching a CEN
Enquiry of 12 weeks on the ISO/DIS.
For this purpose the following criteria shall be respected :• the work item shall already exist in the CEN programmeof work• the transfer to ISO for parallel processing shall alreadybe approved• the DIS vote shall have started no longer than 12 weeks

previously• the German version shall be available

If the above criteria are not met (e.g. the DIS vote has already terminated), the CEN/TC will have to wait for the publication of the
ISO Standard and then submit the published ISO Standard to theEnquiry + Formal Vote process for adoption.
26 – Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition

If the above criteria are met, the CCMC, on request of the CEN/TC,
informs ISO/CS of the CEN/TC proposal for consideration by the
ISO/TC. The ISO committee may be prepared to delay its work inorder to take into consideration the comments made during the CEN
Enquiry. Furthermore, if the document is linked to a New Approach
Directive/Regulation it may be assessed by a New Approach Consultant (see Annex C).
After consideration of the situation :▸▸ if the ISO committee accepts the re-synchronization at FV(Formal Vote)/FDIS, CCMC launches the Enquiry without delay
and the databases of ISO and CEN are updated accordingly▸▸ if the ISO committee is not prepared to wait forre-synchronization, CCMC contacts the CEN/TC to decide
on an alternative solution (e.g. by launching of an Enquiry
upon publication of the ISO Standard).

A.2 Transfer of work from ISO to CEN –CEN leadershipA.2.1 Decision to apply the parallel approval procedure
The following items are separate decisions which both the concerned ISO and CEN committees must take in order to implement
the Vienna Agreement :▸▸ decision to process a project under the VA▸▸ decision on assignment of the lead for the project to either
the ISO or the CEN committee

Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition – 27

A simple majority of the P-members of the committee is necessary
to take the decision to process the project under the VA. If the ISO or
CEN committee vote, either at a meeting or by electronic balloting,that the VA will be implemented, the next decision to be taken is todecide which organization shall take the lead.
The second decision may result such that :▸▸ ISO takes the lead to develop the project, with parallel
consultations in CEN at the enquiry and formal approvalstages, with all comments received from the CEN enquiry being
addressed, adequately responded to and reported back to the
CEN committee by the ISO committee ; or CEN takes the leadto develop the project, with parallel voting in ISO at the DIS
and FDIS stages, with all comments received from DIS voting
being addressed, adequately responded to and reported backto the ISO committee by the CEN committee
ISO lead is the preferred option. Exemptions are only possible where
there are legitimate reasons which are acceptable to non-CEN national
members (e. g. EC Standardization Requests). A simple majority of the
P-members of the respective ISO committee that are not CEN national
members is necessary to take the decision on assignment of the leadfor the project to either the ISO or the CEN committee.
Assignment of lead may generally be granted to the CEN committee
in cases of standards related to EC Directives/Regulations, but an
EC Standardization Request does not mean it is mandatory for CEN
to take the lead or do the standards development work.
The decisions on approval of new work items and on VA implementation are two votes with no requirements in the VA or these guidelinesthat they be linked. No conditions regarding implementation of theVienna Agreement are acceptable during the new work item proposal
28 – Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition

ballot (e.g. no ISO or CEN member should submit a conditional voteon a new work item stating that they will approve the new work item
only on condition that the Vienna Agreement be implemented andISO or CEN be assigned the lead, or that the technical content mustmeet the EC’s expectations).
Once lead is assigned to either the CEN or ISO committee, its counterpart committee should decide whether :▸▸ it wishes to review and comment on all relevant drafts,
documents and information from the lead committee regarding
the project throughout its development▸▸ it wishes to wait until voting at the ISO/DIS stage or CEN
enquiry stage to become further engaged
If the committee not assigned lead decides on the first option, thisshould be communicated to the secretariat of the lead committee.
The secretariat of the second committee shall circulate all suchmaterials and establish mechanisms for developing the committee’s
consensus positions/comments in a timely manner.
An ISO committee may agree to assign lead to the corresponding CEN
committee contingent on there being a committee draft (CD) voteof the document within the ISO committee. An ISO committee may
wish to conduct such a CD vote in order that the substantial technicalcomments of its members may be considered prior to the DIS stage.
Upon receipt of information on ISO committee resolution, ISO/CS
informs CCMC of ISO’s decision to apply the Vienna Agreement.
CCMC confirms that the work item has been approved in CEN.
The respective databases are aligned by exchanging the document
reference number, the CEN work item number and the ISO identification number.
Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition – 29

With this transfer, the ISO committee stops all drafting work on
this subject and instead follows the progress of work at CEN level.
It should however be understood that ISO can decide to take the work
item back into the ISO committee if the work in CEN does not meet
ISO requirements, e.g. in terms of timing or content.
A.2.2 Drafting
The CEN/TC secretary sends a copy of the documents relevant to thestandard in preparation to the ISO/TC secretary. The ISO committee
may comment on these documents and appoint representatives toparticipate in the meetings of the responsible committee and working
group in CEN under the conditions stipulated in clause 3. All parallel
procedure documents are to be drafted using the “ ISO template ” andthat normative references are to ISO International Standards and not
to EN ISO standards.
A.2.3 CEN enquiry – ISO/DIS▸▸ Once a decision has been reached in the CEN committee
to proceed with the enquiry, the text shall be suppliedby the CEN/TC secretariat to ISO/CS in the reference
language version. The CEN/TC secretary posts documentsin the Submission interface, help can be directly requested
from projects@iso.org▸▸ ISO/CS will notify DIN for the German translation required
for the CEN Enquiry at the same time that AFNOR is notified
for the French translation (8 weeks)▸▸ During the translation, CCMC submits the draft to the New
Approach Consultant for assessment, if the CEN work item
has been identified as one requiring assessment
30 – Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition▸▸ If the Consultant provides a negative assessment, CCMC,
the consultant as well as the CEN/TC and CEN/WG
leadership examine which follow-up actions are required.
The CEN/TC Secretary shall at all moments informthe ISO/TC of the progress▸▸ ISO/CS notifies CCMC (with a copy to DIN), with at least one week’s
notice, of the dates of the DIS vote for synchronization purposes▸▸ ISO/CS circulates the English and French version to the ISO
and CEN Members, indicating on the cover page that the DIS
covers a subject of interest to European standardization andthat consultation of ISO/CEN member bodies on the DIS has thesame effect as the CEN Enquiry on the draft European Standard▸▸ At the same time, CCMC prepares the CEN Dispatch Notice
for CEN Enquiry, and makes available the German version
and New Approach Consultant’s assessment, if available▸▸ 12 weeks are allowed for voting and commenting on this text▸▸ The CEN member bodies shall return their reply and comments
to CCMC. The ISO member bodies cast their vote and submit
comments to ISO/CS. Should the position returned by an
ISO/CEN member to ISO/CS differ from that returned to CCMC,
the ISO/CEN member shall provide a detailed technicaljustification together with both replies▸▸ ISO/CS makes available the ISO table of replies and comments
to the CEN/TC with copy to the ISO committee secretariat andchairman for information▸▸ CCMC makes available to ISO/CS the replies and the commentsof its member bodies. CCMC also sends a copy to the CEN/TC
secretary and to the ISO committee secretariat for information
Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition – 31

▸▸ The CEN/TC secretary produces a CEN Table of decisions
containing all of the comments received from both CEN andISO members and adequate responses and decisions related tothese comments. CEN/TC secretary sends the Table of decision
to the CEN/TC members, the ISO committee Chairman, the ISO
committee secretary and posts it on the ISO/CS server withthe text for the Formal Vote
Results of the parallel CEN Enquiry/DIS
After evaluation of the results of the parallel enquiry, the following
decisions may be taken by the CEN/TC :▸▸ to continue further and to prepare the parallel Formal
Vote/FDIS (see below)▸▸ to skip the Formal Vote/FDIS and proceed to publication.
This requires a decision of the CEN/TC but is not possible incase of technical changes made or in case of a negative NAC
assessment▸▸ to launch a 2nd enquiry (generally of 8 weeks). In this case,ISO follows the CEN decision and the drafts are submitted toa 2nd parallel CEN Enquiry/DIS vote, following the proceduredescribed above▸▸ to finalize the draft as a TS or TR▸▸ to stop the work and to delete the subject. In this particularcase, the ISO committee may decide to continue the workon its own (no longer under VA) or to delete the work item
Note : Draft standards having passed the CEN Enquiry with more than
71 % approval but having received a negative assessment should,
in principle, not skip the Formal Vote.
32 – Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th editionA.2.4 CEN formal vote – ISO/FDIS▸▸ Once a final text has been agreed, the CEN/TC secretariat posts
it on the submission interface for the Formal Vote, together
with the CEN Table of decisions▸▸ ISO/CS will notify DIN for the German translation required
for the CEN Formal Vote at the same time that AFNOR is notified
for the French translation (8 weeks)▸▸ ISO/CS notifies CCMC (with a copy to DIN), with one week’s
notice, of the dates of the FDIS vote for synchronization
purposes▸▸ When the English and French versions are available, ISO/CS
circulates the English and French versions to the ISO andCEN Members, indicating on the cover page that the FDIS
covers a subject of interest to European standardization andthat consultation of ISO/CEN member bodies on the FDIS has
the same effect as the CEN Formal Vote on the draft European
Standard. At the same time, CCMC prepares the CEN Dispatch
Notice and makes available the German version▸▸ 8 weeks are allowed for voting on this text▸▸ The ISO member bodies cast their votes to ISO/CS and the
CEN member bodies cast their votes to CCMC as well. Should
the vote returned by an ISO/CEN member to CCMC differ fromthat returned to ISO/CS, the ISO/CEN member shall provide
a detailed technical justification together with both votes▸▸ During the vote, CCMC submits the draft to the New Approach
Consultant for assessment (4 weeks) if the CEN work item has
been identified as one requiring such review

Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition – 33

▸▸ If the Consultant provides a negative assessment, theConsultant as well as the CEN/TC and CEN/WG leadershipexamine which follow-up actions are required (possibly
BT involvement). The CEN/TC Secretary shall at all moments
inform the ISO/TC of the progress▸▸ ISO/CS makes available to the ISO committee secretariat
and chairman and to CEN/TC secretariat for information
all the results of the FDIS vote from its member bodies
Results of the parallel CEN Formal Vote/FDIS
After evaluation of the results of the votes at ISO/CS and CCMC,
the following decisions may be taken :The results of the vote are positive at ISO and CEN.
▸▸ In this case, ISO/CS notifies CCMC (with a copy to DIN) of thedates of publication and the standard is published by ISO andin parallel is made available by CEN with an EN ISO number.
The results of the vote are positive at ISO and negative at CEN.
▸▸ A consultation between ISO and CEN takes place (see 5.7.2).
In the absence of a more constructive solution, the likely
outcome is for the document to be published as ISO xxx only.
The results of the vote are negative at ISO and positive at CEN.
▸▸ A consultation between ISO and CEN takes place (see 5.7.2).
In the absence of a more constructive solution, the likely
outcome is for the document to be published as EN yyy only.
The results are negative at ISO and CEN.
▸▸ A consultation between ISO and CEN takes place. The following
decisions may be taken :34 – Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition• to reconsider the text at the committee level with a view

either to carrying out a further parallel enquiry or to submit
the draft to a 2nd parallel formal vote following the proceduredescribed above• to finalize the drafts as TS or TR• to stop the work and delete the item

A.2.5 Particular cases (re-synchronization)
Although this should be avoided as much as possible (see clause 5.3),
the transfer of work to CEN may be requested – or made necessary –after the CEN Enquiry has taken place. In this case, the possibility tore-synchronize by one of the following methods in order to proceed
to a parallel CEN Formal Vote/FDIS may be considered :▸▸ One possibility is to carry out a parallel enquiry although
CEN has already carried out a first enquiry. This means thata 2nd enquiry is launched at CEN level and a first DIS vote islaunched in parallel in ISO. Annex A.2.3 is applied. In thiscase, the CEN committee shall agree to apply this approach as
delay may occur▸▸ Re-synchronization may also occur by launching an ISO/DIS
vote without delay, but the following criteria are to be taken
into consideration :• The starting time of the CEN enquiry• The readiness of the CEN/TC to revise its draft following

the ISO/DIS vote (recognizing that delay may occur)
ISO/CS, on request of the ISO committee, informs CCMC of the ISO
committee proposal for consideration by the CEN/TC.
Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition – 35

After consideration of the situation :▸▸ if the CEN/TC accepts the re-synchronization at FV/FDIS,CCMC provides ISO/CS with the latest issue of the document
at the enquiry stage, ISO carries out a DIS vote on thisdocument without delay and the databases of ISO and CEN
are updated accordingly▸▸ if the CEN/TC is not prepared to wait for re-synchronization,
the ISO/CS contacts the ISO committee to decide an alternative
solution (e.g. by launching the Fast Track procedure upon
publication of the EN)

Annex B to the Guidelines
Joint co-ordination group (JCG)of the ISO technical management board(ISO/TMB) and CEN technical board (CEN/BT)
The monitoring of the application of the Vienna Agreement is
entrusted to a Joint Co-ordination Group (JCG) of the ISO TechnicalManagement Board (ISO/TMB) and CEN Technical Board (CEN/BT).
Monitoring includes reporting to these respective boards on progressor specific issues of concern and, where necessary, the review ofexisting mechanisms with proposals for improvement.
The chairman and secretary of the JCG are the chairman and secretaryof the ISO/TMB or CEN/BT (alternating each year). Meetings are only
convened if this is requested by ISO/TMB and/or CEN/BT.

Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition – 37

Annex C to the Guidelines
Particular case of common ISO/CEN
publications intended to support
European legislation
Special provisions apply in the case of European Standards
intended to support European legislation. In particular an
Annex Z is required in any version of the draft publication andthe draft needs to be reviewed by a designated New Approach
Consultant to confirm coherence with the relevant European
Directive/Regulation. The relevant New Approach Consultant isavailable for help. At publication stage, Annex Z is maintainedin the CEN standard but not in the ISO standard.
The role of the New Approach Consultant is to assess whether or
not a standard linked to an EC Standardization Request covers thelegal requirements of New Approach Directives/Regulations (socalled “ essential/basic requirements ”). A negative assessment
means that the standard needs further improvement to be suitable
for reference in the Official Journal of the European Union, andconsequently to claim “ presumption of conformity ”. Without
reference in the Official Journal of the European Union it is moredifficult for manufacturers to get access to the European market.
The legal situation cannot be changed. If an ISO/TC is not in aposition to take into account the comments made by the New
Approach Consultant, it may be necessary to decouple the work
item from the VA.

38 – Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition

Results of enquiry
stage

Enquiry stage

Draft standard readyfor enquiry stage

Preparatory stage

Registration of WI

Approval of new WIby technical body
Approval of WI
by CEN/TC
decision
Decision to apply
VA

CEN/TC

Votes andcomments received
from ISO member
bodies andassessment from
CEN consultant

CEN/TC secretariat

2

ISO/TC/SC
secretariat

1

Votes and comments
received from CEN
member bodies

Voting on prEN ISO

Preparation of
dispatch notice

CCMC

Voting on DIS
including Annex Z

NAC assessment

Notification of dates for
DIS ballot

Possible commenting
and appointment ofrepresentatives &
possible provisionof Annex Z

Registration of WI

CCMC

Circulation of
dispatch notice to
CEN member bodies(together with D
version of prEN ISO
and NACassessment)

Preparation ofmanuscript for DIS,
including Annex Z
Decision to submit
draft to enquiry

Elaboration of draft
standard by
WG/project leader

Confirmation to apply VA

Information

Approval of WI
by ISO/TC/SC
resolution/ballot
Decision to apply
VA

ISO/TC

Circulation of DIS,
including Annex Z,
to ISO members
bodies(E + F versions)Preparation of draftfor DIS ballot,
including Annex Z(editing)

Registration of WI

ISO/CS

Assessment duringtranslation

CEN consultant

Annex D to the Guidelines

Flowchart for parallel development and approvalof common ISO/CEN publications intended to support
European legislation (ISO lead)

Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition – 39

40 – Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition

Approval stage

Final draft standard
ready for approval
stage

Comments
resolution after
enquiry

Voting on FprEN ISO

4

Voting on FDIS,
including Annex Z

3

Preparation of
dispatch notice

CCMC

Circulation of dispatch
notice to CEN
member bodies(together with D
version of FprEN ISO)

Notification of dates for
FDIS ballot

Possiblecommenting
and appointmentof representatives& possible
provisionof Annex Z

Comments resolution:
1. Response tocomments received
from ISO and CEN
member bodies andassessment from
CEN consultant
2. Preparation ofrevised draft by
WG/project leader

Preparation ofmanuscript for
FDIS, including
Annex Z
Decision to submit
draft to enquiry

2

CEN/TC

1

ISO/TC

Circulation of FDIS,
including Annex Z,
to ISO members
bodies(E + F versions)Preparation of draftfor FDIS ballot,
including Annex Z(editing)

ISO/CS

5

Assessment during
Formal Vote

CEN consultant

Vienna Agreement Guidelines 7th edition – 41

Publication of IS,
without Annex Z(E + F versions)

4

CCMC

CCMC

Availabilityof EN ISO(European elements
E + F andfull D version)

Preparationof European
elements**

positive

Votingresults*

Votes and editorialcomments received
from CEN member
bodies and NAC
assessment

Decision on
further proceeding negative

CEN/TC
secretariat

Participation of CEN/TC
experts recommended

CEN/TC secretariat

CEN/TC

Notification of date of publication by ISO

Decision on

ISO/TC/SC
secretariat

Consultation
between WG/project
leader and NAC
on follow-up action

negative

NAC assessment

negative further proceeding

Preparation ofmanuscript for
publication, without
Annex Z

positive

Votingresults*

Votes and editorialcomments received
from ISO member
bodiespositive

Result ofassessment

3

ISO/TC* In case of different voting results in ISO and CEN, consultation between both organizations takes place.
** Title page, European foreword, Annex Z

Publication

Final editing

Results of approval
stage

NAC assessment

ISO/CS

5

CEN consultant

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