AENOR, UNE Standards, and the Certification Process Explained

AENOR, UNE Standards, and Certification Fundamentals

Types of Standardization Bodies and Standards

Standardization activities are categorized based on their scope:

National Standards

These standards are prepared, subject to a period of public review, and sanctioned by a legally recognized body to develop standardization activities at a national level. AENOR (Asociación Española de Normalización y Certificación) is the body recognized by the Spanish public administration to develop standardization activities in Spain.

Regional Standards

Regional standards are developed within the framework of a regional standards body, normally covering a continental area which includes a certain number of national standards bodies. The most recognized regional bodies include:

• CEN (European Committee for Standardization)
• CENELEC (European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization)
• ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute)

International Standards

International standards have similar characteristics to regional standards in their elaboration, but they differ in that their field is globally representative. Their main fields of activity are:

• IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission): For the electrical area.
• ITU (International Telecommunication Union): For telecommunications.
• ISO (International Organization for Standardization): For all other areas.

UNE Standards: Definition and Elaboration Process

A UNE standard is a technical specification for repetitive or continuous application, though compliance is not mandatory.

The elaboration of a UNE standard takes place within the framework of technical standardization committees through the following phases:

1. Preliminary Consideration: Initial assessment of a new initiative or project.
2. Draft Elaboration: Development of the draft standard, always seeking consensus among all involved parties.
3. Public Information: Publication of information in the Official State Gazette (BOE), notifying the existence of the draft national and European standard so that any person or entity may submit appropriate comments.
4. Final Approval: Development and approval of the proposed final rule for its consideration and adoption by AENOR.
5. Publication and Distribution: Registration, publication, and distribution of the UNE standard; publication of the notice by AENOR in the BOE.

Certification Process and Types

Certification is the action carried out by an independent organization, recognized by stakeholders and accredited by the relevant body. It provides adequate confidence that a properly identified product, process, or service complies with a specified standard or other normative document.

The main certificates issued relate to:

Product Certification

Certifying a product verifies that its properties and characteristics align with the technical standards and specifications applicable to that product.

Quality System Certification

A quality system is the set formed by the company's organizational structure, processes, procedures, work instructions, and necessary resources required to implement quality management practices.