Standardization, is one of the main objectives of ELOT which is realized through the elaboration and publication of Hellenic Standards and the promotion of their implementation. Hellenic Standards, according to the International guides, are documents that provide for common and repeated use of specifications, rules, guidelines, activities' characteristics or their results, aiming at the achievement of the optimum degree of order in a given context. Hellenic standards support the development of national economy in general. They refer to products, processes and services as well as to quality systems.
According to law 372/76, ELOT is the unique organization at national level for the approval, issuing and distribution of Hellenic Standards. The procedures, established by ELOT for the elaboration of Hellenic Standards, aim to the achievement of consensus of all interested parties. Thus, standards are formulated by representative Technical Committees of Standardization and are submitted to a public enquiry procedure in order to achieve the maximum of common acceptance. The Secretariat of a Technical Committee in many cases has been assigned to competent bodies. Hellenic Standards are also revised at regular intervals in order to meet the requirements of the latest developments in science and technology and they also are harmonized with the relevant international and European standards in order to be in line with developed countries.
According to law 372/76, the implementation of Hellenic Standards, is voluntary, as it happens in most countries. Some of them become mandatory by national or EEC legislation.
Participation in International Standardization.
According to law 372/76, ELOT is the national member and participates in the following international standardization organizations International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
Public services organizations, educational institutions and industrial sectors can follow or participate, through ELOT in the work of international standardization on the subject they are interested in. They can be informed and express their opinions on the content of international standards. They can also participate and support the Hellenic interests at the relevant Technical Committees of the mentioned International Organizations.
Participation in European Standardization.
The standards organizations of the member countries of EEC and EFTA, among them ELOT, are the members of the European Standards Organizations. These organizations are: The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC). ELOT participates in the work of the European Committee for Iron and Steel Standardization (ECISS).
In the field of telecommunications standardarization, a memorandum of understanding has been signed by ELOT and the Hellenic Telecommunication Organization in order to participate in the work of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and to elaborate the appropriate Hellenic Standards.
Standards Archives
As a member of the International and European Standards Organizations, ELOT receives the Standards issued by the above organizations and those of their members, which are the National Standards Bodies of each member country. The Standards Archives thus include International Standards, European Standards and the Standards of the other National Standards Bodies.
All the above mentioned documents as well as a significant number of books and magazines concerning standardization are available in ELOT Standard's Archives premises.
