Workshop and Study visit “Development of Harmonization Road Maps and Action Plans, and Capacity building recommendations” – United Kingdom

Objective

The main objective was to encourage INOGATE Partner Countries to take concrete steps and prepare Road Maps and Action Plans for the harmonisation of priority gas and electricity standards, in line with international standards.

A presentation of the INOGATE work programme in standardisation for 2013-2014 with an overview of what has been completed was followed by the evaluation of the state of play in standardisation in PCs (particularly the detection of key breaks with European practice). INOGATE's Road Map and Action Plan were discussed with emphasis on the role of TEG standardisation.

This study tour covered a number of key functions of the British Standards Institution (BSI) and included a visit to its gas and electricity testing laboratories.

In identifying regional and national priorities, a country by country analysis of planned electricity standards showed that some PCs (Moldova, Ukraine) can easily adopt standards and ensure participation of their TCs; others (Georgia, Armenia) need a strategy for harmonisation. The main stages in the development of a strategy for harmonisation of standards, priority areas for standards and a recommendation to agree with EASC on transfer of translations of standards were all discussed.

INOGATE's Road Map and Action Plan for countries emphasised that TCs should be the focal point for standardisation at the national level, as well as ensuring a solid infrastructure for the participation of national industry and other stakeholders.

The experience of Ukrtransgas and its participation in CEN and CENELEC was followed by a description of the EASC procedure used for the adoption of translated gas standards. An overview presented international technical secretariats and how they are managed in international standards bodies. The role of technical committees in major institutions such as the ISO, CEN/CENELEC and the ETSI was presented, as well as how they produce standards and how their working groups are constituted. The stages in the development of a European standard provided a step-by-step description of the involvement of the various stakeholders.

BSI described its electricity and gas technical committees, the standards development process, their committee activities and structure, as well as the review system, implementation and market take up of standards, encouraging adoption and sustainability. BSI representatives also explained why standards must be monetized and the actual costs of implementing and applying standards globally.

This two-day event, hosted by BSI, incorporated the presentations described above with special focus on the standardisation activities of the BSI. Delegates visited the BSI headquarters in London and its gas and electricity testing facilities at Loughborough University.

Participants received an overview of where each INOGATE PC stood in the harmonisation of its standards, as well as a review of international standardisation bodies (ISO) and cooperation with EASC. They had first-hand experience of the standardisation activities of a major standardisation company (BSI) and were provided with background on how the company developed some of the world's leading standards.