Standardization
The importance of standardization in European armaments co-operation and the development of the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base are often understated.
The September 2008 Competitiveness Council adopted conclusions on standardization and innovation considering “the essential contribution which standardisation can make towards developing innovation and competitiveness, by facilitating access to markets, enabling interoperability between new and existing products, services and processes, enhancing protection of users, giving consumers confidence in innovations and disseminating research results.” Of the 29 conclusions, many can be read directly across to defence.
The European Commission is reviewing their action plan for European standardization in light of these conclusions. The Commission has provided a key impetus for defence standardization reform. Its report on “Standardization Systems in the Defence Industries of the European Union and the United States” brought about the
European Handbook for Defence Procurement, the EDA’s
European Defence Standards Information System (EDSIS) and helped to steer European standardization generally.
A “Euro-Interoperability” study requested by the European Parliament’s Subcommittee for Security and Defence suggested a CSDP Standardization Agency within the framework of EDA, with a stronger civil-military component. Progress is not that advanced but nonetheless European Defence Standardization has matured in the past three years. The EDA’s Materiel Standardization Group (MSG) is now able to shape and propose new standardization policy and standardization initiatives. The current structures, in particular the Materiel Standards Harmonisation Team (MSHT), are delivering results. The standardization agenda presented to the EDA Steering Board in September 2006 has been realised and the MSHT, now firmly established, is consistently the most active participating Member States Forum in the EDA.
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