Brussels. The European Commission set the priorities of standardization for the year 2020. The recently published annual Union Work Programme highlighted all the actions and policies where the Commission will support the development of new standards.

As for the previous years, digital technologies are high on the Commission’s agenda for standards. Interoperability, formats harmonization and IT security are key objectives for 2020 and the Commission indicated several strategic areas where they should be achieved through standards.

• New standards will be necessary to ensure accessibility of digital products and services to disabled people.
• The European way on Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be be underpinned by standards to ensure safety, liability and ethical considerations.
• The standards setting organisations will continue working on Internet of Things (IoT) to improve security, safety, reliability and interoperability of connected devices
• Close collaboration with ENISA, the EU cybersecurity agency, is expected in order to identify the certification standards necessary to implement the EU Cybersecurity Act
• The Commission wants EU citizens to have harmonized European electronic health records to allow full mobility of patients and doctors. Standards should support that.
• Multi-brand platooning for the automotive sector is another priority for EC supported standardization.