BS 0-2021

BS 0:2021
BSI Standards Publication
A standard for standards — Principles of

standardization
BS 0:2021 BRITISH STANDARD
Publishing and copyright information
The BSI copyright notice displayed in this document indicates when the document was last issued.
© The British Standards Institution 2021
Published by BSI Standards Limited 2021
ISBN 978 0 539 13467 4
ICS 01.120
The following BSI references relate to the work on this document:

Committee reference SPSC/-/3
Draft for comment 20/30415946 DC
Amendments/corrigenda issued since publication
Date Text affected
© THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION 2021 – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

BRITISH STANDARD BS 0:2021
Contents Page
Foreword iii
1 Scope 1
2 Normative references 1
3 Terms, de�initions and abbreviated terms 1
4 Principles of standardization 6
4.1 Context and purpose 6
4.2 The National Standards Body 8
4.3 Application of standards 8
4.4 Transparency 9
4.5 Disclosure of documents to nominating organizations and employers 10
5 Development of British Standards 10
5.1 Principles 10
Figure 1 — Stages of standards development, publication and maintenance 10
5.2 New work 11
5.3 International standardization 11
5.4 European standardization 12
5.5 Common features of international and European standardization 12
5.6 UK participation in international and European standardization 13
5.7 British Standards of UK origin 14
5.8 Consultation – Draft for public comment 14
6 Publishing and maintaining standards 15
6.1 Publication 15
6.2 Maintenance 15
7 BSI committees 17
7.1 Principles 17
7.2 Committee constitution 17
7.3 Nominating organizations 18
7.4 Co-option for speci�ic tasks 19
7.5 Decision making 20
7.6 Minutes 22
7.7 Disputes 22
7.8 Legal issues 22
7.9 Con�identiality and external communications 22
7.10 Delegation of responsibilities 23
7.11 Inter-committee liaison 23
8 Roles and responsibilities 23
8.1 BSI 23
8.2 BSI employees 24
8.3 Conduct 24
8.4 Committee members 24
8.5 Committee chairs 25
8.6 Committee managers 27
8.7 Additional roles and responsibilities for British Standards of UK origin 27
9 Content and drafting of standards 29
9.1 Principles 29
9.2 Relationship with the law 29
9.3 Drafting 30
9.4 Types of standardization publication 31
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9.5 Intellectual property rights (IPR) 32

Bibliography 34
Index 35
Summary of pages
This document comprises a front cover, an inside front cover, pages I to IV, pages 1 to 40, an inside back cover and a
back cover.
II © THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION 2021 – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Foreword
Publishing information
This British Standard is published by BSI Standards Limited, under licence from The British
Standards Institution, and came into effect on 30 November 2021. It was prepared on behalf of the
BSI Standards Policy and Strategy Committee.
Supersession
This British Standard supersedes BS 0:2016, which is withdrawn.
Information about this document

This is a full revision of the standard, and introduces the following principal changes:
• updating of the references to the European Community and European standardization in the
light of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union;
• greater emphasis in 4.1.6 on the need of all those involved in developing British Standards to
adhere not only to BS 0 but to all policies in force at the relevant time;
• expansion of the principles for meetings in Clause 7 to cover conference calls, online meetings
and hybrid meetings;
• updating of the roles and responsibilities of committee members and chairs in Clause 7
and Clause 8;
• expansion of the roles and responsibilities pertaining to UK national standards work in Clause 8,
including the roles of panel convenor and editorial project manager;
• revision of 9.5.2 on intellectual property rights. There is no radical alteration to BSI’s position
regarding IPR, but it has been restated in a clearer fashion; and
• removal of Annex A, which will become an online resource.
Certain topics regularly arise during any revision of BS 0, and it was decided that the following
conventions will be retained in all British Standards of UK origin:
• the “z” spelling usage (e.g. “standardization”) for consistency with the preferred variant listed in
the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, noting also that it is the traditional English usage rather
than an Americanism;
• the use of the decimal point in preference to the decimal comma, noting that it re�lects the
overwhelmingly predominant practice in the UK and is inconsistent with many international and
European standards that are adopted without change by BSI; and
• the use of the “f” spelling of “sulfur” and its derivatives, noting that it is the agreed variant
adopted by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) and most analogous
professional bodies in the UK, and re�lects the general usage of most of those in the UK
scienti�ic community.
BSI might from time to time develop policies or guidance documents to support the
application of BS 0.
This publication can be withdrawn, revised, partially superseded or superseded. Information
regarding the status of this publication can be found in the Standards Catalogue on the BSI website at
bsigroup.com/standards, or by contacting the Customer Services team.
© THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION 2021 – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED III

Where websites and webpages have been cited, they are provided for ease of reference and are
correct at the time of publication. The location of a webpage or website, or its contents, cannot
be guaranteed.
Presentational conventions
The provisions of this standard are presented in roman (i.e. upright) type. Its principles are expressed
as statements, or in sentences in which the principal auxiliary verb is “should”.
Commentary, explanation and general informative material is presented in smaller italic type, and does
not constitute a normative element.
Where words have alternative spellings, the preferred spelling of the Shorter Oxford English
Dictionary is used (e.g. “organization” rather than “organisation”).
Contractual and legal considerations

This publication has been prepared in good faith, however no representation, warranty, assurance
or undertaking (express or implied) is or will be made, and no responsibility or liability is or will
be accepted by BSI in relation to the adequacy, accuracy, completeness or reasonableness of this
publication. All and any such responsibility and liability is expressly disclaimed to the full extent
permitted by the law.
This publication is provided as is, and is to be used at the recipient’s own risk.
The recipient is advised to consider seeking professional guidance with respect to its use of this
publication.
This publication is not intended to constitute a contract. Users are responsible for its correct
application.
Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from legal obligations.
IV © THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION 2021 – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

1 Scope
This British Standard sets out the principles of standardization undertaken by the British Standards
Institution (BSI) in its role as the UK National Standards Body (NSB).
The principles encompass the development, publication, maintenance and application of British
Standards, together with the UK’s participation in international and European standardization.
The principles set out in this British Standard do not include details of BSI’s non-NSB activities, nor
the rules and procedures of the international and European standardization bodies.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their
content constitutes provisions of this document1). For dated references, only the edition cited
applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any
amendments) applies.2)
[N1] INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATION (ISO). Principles and rules for the
structure and drafting of ISO and IEC documents. ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2. Geneva: ISO, 2018.3)
[N2] EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION (CEN) and EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR
ELECTROTECHNICAL STANDARDIZATION (CENELEC). Organization and structure. CEN/CENELEC
Internal Regulations, Part 1. Brussels: CEN/CENELEC, 2018.4)
ELECTROTECHNICAL STANDARDIZATION (CENELEC). Common rules for standards work. CEN/
CENELEC Internal Regulations, Part 2. Brussels: CEN/CENELEC, 2020.4)
ELECTROTECHNICAL STANDARDIZATION (CENELEC). Principles and rules for the structure and
drafting of CEN and CENELEC documents. CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, Part 3. Brussels: CEN/
CENELEC, 2019.4)
[N5] BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION (BSI). Rules for the structure and drafting of UK standards.
London: BSI, 2017.5)
3 Terms, de�initions and abbreviated terms

3.1 Terms and de�initions
For the purposes of this British Standard, the following terms and de�initions apply.
3.1.1 British Standard (BS)

standard developed by a standing national, European or international committee and
published by BSI
3.1.2 British Standard of UK origin

British Standard developed within the UK
1)
Documents that are referred to solely in an informative manner are listed in the Bibliography.
2)
This clause, which contains standard wording used for all national, European and international standards, is intended to identify all other
documents to which reference might need to be made in the application of this standard. In practice, it might be possible to apply this and
many other standards without recourse to all or any such external references.
3)
Available at www.ISO.org/directives.
4)
Available at www.cen.eu/boss.
5)
Available at www.bsigroup.com.
© THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION 2021 – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1

3.1.3 BSI Board

board of The British Standards Institution
3.1.4 chair
formally appointed leader of a committee
3.1.5 committee
NOTE The term “committee” is used in this standard to refer to both BSI technical committees (3.1.5.1) and
BSI subcommittees (3.1.5.2). It does not refer to any other administrative or governance committee of BSI.
3.1.5.1 technical committee (TC)

body, established and managed by BSI, responsible for a particular area of standards work
3.1.5.2 subcommittee (SC)

subordinate committee, established and managed by BSI, of a technical committee
3.1.6 committee member

person serving on a BSI committee
3.1.7 common modi�ication

alteration of, addition to or deletion of the content of a reference document, approved by CEN/
CENELEC and thus forming part of the EN (and HD for CENELEC)
[SOURCE: CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, Part 2:2020 [N2], 2.14]
3.1.8 compliance
action of a person or body in ful�illing provisions
3.1.9 con�lict of interest

situation in which good faith, diligent, transparent and effective participation in the
standards-making process free from commercial bias and consistent with standardization principles
is or could be compromised owing to other activities, relationships or personal interests
NOTE It is understood that committee members (other than those who are co-opted or act as individuals)
represent the interests, aspirations and concerns of their respective nominating organizations.
3.1.10 con�licting national standard

national standard, with the same scope as an EN (and HD for CENELEC) including requirements
which con�lict with the requirements of the EN (and HD for CENELEC)
NOTE Con�licting national standards have to be withdrawn irrespective of whether their content differs from the
European standard.
[SOURCE: CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, Part 2:2020 [N2], 2.13, modi�ied – note added]
3.1.11 conformity
ful�ilment of a provision
[SOURCE: BS EN ISO 9000:2015, 3.6.11, modi�ied – “requirement” changed to “provision”,
notes deleted]
2 © THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION 2021 – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

3.1.12 consensus
general agreement, characterized by the absence of sustained opposition to substantial issues by any
important part of the concerned interests and by a process that involves seeking to take into account
the views of all parties concerned and to reconcile any con�licting arguments
NOTE Consensus need not imply unanimity.
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC Guide 2:2004, 1.7]
3.1.13 consumer
individual member of the general public purchasing or using property, products or services for
private purposes
[SOURCE: BS ISO 26000:2010, 2.2]
3.1.14 decision making process

activities of a committee or panel directly related to establishing whether consensus has been
reached on any particular matter requiring a decision
3.1.15 delegate (n.)

person appointed by a national standards body to represent the national interest at international or
European standards meetings
NOTE The representative is usually a committee member.
3.1.16 draft
standard or other deliverable under development
3.1.17 draft for public comment (DPC)

stage in the development of a standard at which wider consultation is sought from the public at large
3.1.18 enquiry
stage of the development process at which a draft European or international standard is distributed
for public consultation
3.1.19 European standard (EN)

standard adopted by CEN/CENELEC and carrying with it an obligation of implementation as an
identical national standard and withdrawal of con�licting national standards
NOTE 1 “Harmonized Standard” is a term used in Regulation (EU) No. 1025/2012 of the European Parliament and
of the Council [1], meaning a European standard adopted on the basis of a request made by the Commission for the
application of Union harmonization legislation.
NOTE 2 A European standard produced by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) carries
with it the same obligations.
NOTE 3 European standards are adopted in the UK as BS ENs.
[SOURCE: CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, Part 2:2020 [N2], 2.5, modi�ied – Note 2 and
Note 3 added]

3.1.20 expert
<in European/international standardization> person nominated by a national committee to
contribute to the detailed work of a working group (or similar body) in ISO, IEC, CEN or CENELEC
<in UK national standardization> person selected for their particular technical or other relevant
knowledge to contribute to the detailed work of a panel
3.1.21 formal vote

stage of the development process at which the �inal text of a prEN (FprEN) is circulated by the CEN/
CENELEC Management Centre to national members for approval by weighted voting
3.1.22 informative
characteristic of material in a standard that supplements normative material by offering advice,
information and guidance
3.1.23 international standard

ISO or IEC standard
3.1.24 intellectual property rights (IPR)

patents, rights to inventions, copyright, trade marks, domain names, designs, database rights,
con�idential information and similar rights anywhere in the world whether registered or unregistered
along with the right to apply for protection of such rights
3.1.25 nominating organization

organization or body that exists to serve and/or represent a de�ined group of stakeholders
3.1.26 normative
characteristic of material in a standard that is essential to the application of the standard in
the manner intended, and against which it is possible to demonstrate and claim conformity to
the standard
3.1.27 normative reference

document to which reference is made in a standard in such a way as to make it indispensable for the
application of the standard
3.1.28 panel
subordinate group of a BSI technical committee or subcommittee, responsible for speci�ic delegated
tasks, broadly equivalent to an international or European working group
NOTE Panels are led by a convenor, who does not have the authority of a formally appointed chair.
3.1.29 panel member

person serving on a BSI panel
3.1.30 provision
normative element of a standard
3.1.31 regulation
document providing binding legislative rules, that is adopted by an authority

3.1.32 standard
document, established by consensus and approved by a recognized body, that provides, for common
and repeated use, rules, guidelines or characteristics for activities or their results, aimed at the
achievement of the optimum degree of order in a given context
NOTE Standards are based on the consolidated results of science, technology and experience, and aimed at the
promotion of optimum community bene�its.
3.1.33 standardization
activity of establishing, with regard to actual or potential problems, provisions for common and
repeated use, aimed at the achievement of the optimum degree of order in a given context
NOTE 1 In particular, the activity consists of the processes of formulating, issuing and implementing standards.
NOTE 2 Important bene�its of standardization are improvement of the suitability of products (including services)
and processes for their intended purposes, prevention of barriers to trade and facilitation of technological
cooperation.
3.1.34 Standards Policy and Strategy Committee (SPSC)

policy committee established by the BSI Board to advise it as appropriate on matters of
standardization policy and strategy and to oversee all work undertaken in BSI committees
3.1.35 Technical Report (TR)

document published by ISO, IEC, CEN or CENELEC containing informative material not suitable to be
published as a standard or a Technical Speci�ication
NOTE A TR might include, for example, data obtained from a survey carried out among the national members,
data on work in other organizations, or data on the state of the art in relation to national standards on a
particular subject.
3.1.36 Technical Speci�ication (TS)

document published by ISO, IEC, CEN or CENELEC about which there is the possibility of future
approval as a standard, but for which at present there are reasons precluding immediate publication
as a standard
NOTE Typically the reasons for this would be that the required support for such approval cannot be obtained,
there is doubt on whether consensus has been achieved or the subject matter is still under technical development.
3.1.37 vote
process of approval undertaken for speci�ic purposes by international and European standards bodies
3.1.38 working group (WG)

group established by an international or European technical committee or subcommittee, responsible
for drafting documents with experts nominated by national bodies
3.1.39 work item (WI)

standards project

3.1.40 work programme

detailed list of all projects (work items) to be developed within the scope of a technical committee,
forming a group of interrelated standards projects which together achieve a common purpose in
support of the strategic aims of that committee
3.2 Abbreviated terms

For the purposes of this British Standard, the following abbreviated terms apply.
BS British Standard
BSI British Standards Institution
CEN European Committee for Standardization
CENELEC European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
DPC draft for public comment
EN European standard
ETSI European Telecommunications Standards Institute
IEC International Electrotechnical Commission
IPR intellectual property rights
ISO International Organization for Standardization
MoU Memorandum of Understanding between the United Kingdom Government and the British
Standards Institution
NSB National Standards Body
SPSC Standards Policy and Strategy Committee
SC subcommittee
TC technical committee
TR Technical Report
TS Technical Speci�ication
4 Principles of standardization
4.1 Context and purpose
4.1.1 Context
Standards provide a reliable basis on which common expectations can be shared regarding speci�ic
characteristics of a product, service or process.
4.1.2 Purposes
The purposes of British Standards can include:
a) facilitating trade, particularly in reducing technical barriers and arti�icial obstacles to
international trade;
b) supporting public policy objectives and, where appropriate, offering effective alternatives
to regulation;

c) providing a framework for achieving economies, ef�iciencies and interoperability;

d) enhancing consumer protection, safety and con�idence;
e) supporting and de�ining good environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices;
f) addressing climate change;
g) supporting innovation; and
h) enabling equality and inclusion.
4.1.3 Characteristics of British Standards

All British Standards have the de�ining characteristics of:
a) representing good practice as de�ined by experts;
b) being developed and maintained by balanced and broadly representative standing committees
that retain responsibility for them inde�initely, and that reach agreement by consensus;
c) being made subject to open consultation; and
d) remaining subject to systematic periodic review as to their continuing validity.
4.1.4 Voluntary status

British Standards are voluntary in that there is no obligation to apply them or comply with them,
except in those few cases where their application is directly demanded by regulatory instruments.
They are tools devised for the convenience of those who wish to use them. In certain circumstances
the actions of third parties might have the effect of making the application of a standard a commercial
necessity, e.g. in a contract, but BSI has no control over these actions and is not a party to them.
4.1.5 Authority and reliability

For a British Standard to be a useful and attractive tool for conducting business or supporting public
policy, it has to command the trust and respect of all those who are likely to be affected by it.
The reliability of a British Standard rests not just on its technical accuracy and the sound judgement
of those responsible for its text. There also needs to be a widely held con�idence that:
a) it is desirable, practical and authoritative;
b) it offers no particular nor exclusive advantage to any party;
c) it serves the needs of the wider community; and
d) in application it will be consistent with regulations and legal principles established at the time of
publication.
The measures that are necessary to underpin this con�idence are set out in Clause 5. It is the
responsibility of all parties involved in the development of a standard to ensure that these are not
compromised.
4.1.6 Adherence to BS 0
Adherence to the principles set out in BS 0 is a condition of participating in any capacity in the
development of British Standards. All those participating in standards development work are also
expected to comply with all BSI policies as are in force at the relevant time.

4.2 The National Standards Body

4.2.1 Standards development
BSI is the UK National Standards Body (NSB). Its role is established under its Royal Charter and
codi�ied in the Memorandum of Understanding between the United Kingdom Government and the
British Standards Institution (the MoU)6). The role includes:
a) coordinating and facilitating the development of British Standards of UK origin;
b) participating in international standardization through ISO and IEC; and
c) participating in regional (i.e. European) standardization through CEN and CENELEC.
BSI is also responsible for coordinating and facilitating the development of other types of
standardization document, and, where appropriate, publishing them, including Technical
Speci�ications (TSs), Technical Reports (TRs) and Published Documents (PDs). These do not share all
the same de�ining characteristics as British Standards, and are therefore not to be regarded as British
Standards (see 9.4.2).
NOTE 1 BSI is appointed as the National Standards Organization (NSO) for ETSI activities in the UK. Speci�ic details
of BSI involvement in this work can be found in the Memorandum of Understanding between ETSI and the NSOs
(see https://portal.etsi.org/nso/revised_nov02.asp).
NOTE 2 BSI is permitted under its MoU to produce other standardization products such as PAS and BSI Flex, which
are outside the scope of BS 0.
BSI’s NSB role also entails responsibility for publishing and promoting the standards that it develops.
It maintains an infrastructure such that:
1) each of its standards is routinely reviewed; and
2) concerns about the content of a standard can be investigated and acted upon.
4.2.2 Resourcing
Standardization projects impose considerable demands on the resources of all those involved in
them. BSI applies its resources at its discretion, taking into account the bene�its that are likely to
accrue from each project in the context of its overall work programme in its role as the NSB.
4.3 Application of standards

4.3.1 Principles of application
Responsibility for selecting and applying a standard lies with its user. In general, BSI is not able
to assist in this, nor take any responsibility for it, other than to provide an indication of the scope
and contents of a standard. In some circumstances, BSI might develop formally published guidance
documents on the application of a particular standard or set of standards.
Standards are drafted in the expectation that those who use them will be appropriately experienced,
quali�ied and equipped to do so, that they will apply them conscientiously and, where necessary, take
sound advice by others quali�ied to provide it.
4.3.2 Interpretation
Responsibility for interpreting a standard rests with its user, informed where necessary by
appropriate expert advice. Ultimately, the only body with the power to give a de�initive interpretation
is a court of law.
To avoid undermining the basis for common expectations set out in 4.1.1, BSI does not provide
individual interpretations of standards. Individuals who are approached in their capacity as
6)
Available at https://www.bsigroup.com/globalassets/documents/about-bsi/bsi-uk-nsb-memorandum-of-understanding-uk-en.pdf

committee members with questions of interpretation or analysis should refer to the relevant BSI
committee manager.
However, any ambiguities, inconsistencies or possible errors noti�ied to BSI will be referred for
consideration to the committee responsible for the standard in question, as will any proposals for
changes or improvements. These noti�ications are encouraged as a contribution to the maintenance
of standards (see also 6.2).
4.3.3 Declarations of compliance and conformity
4.3.3.1 Principles
Declarations that an individual or organization has complied with the provisions of a standard, or
that a product or service conforms to a standard (otherwise termed “conformity attestation”), are
entirely the responsibility of those making such declarations (see also 4.3.4).
Not all standards can support such claims in a meaningful way (see 9.4). Those that can (or do),
however, have to be drafted such that a valid claim can be made. Further information on conformity
assessment is given in ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2:2018 [N1], Clause 33.
4.3.3.2 Third-party conformity assessment

As a long-standing principle of public policy, it is generally not acceptable for a standard to state
that a legitimate claim of compliance is dependent on third-party conformity assessment. There
are certain established derogations from this principle, and if, exceptionally, it is believed that a
circumstance has arisen where a standard will need to include a requirement or recommendation for
third-party conformity assessment, the approval of SPSC is required.
British Standards may not be explicitly developed in support of an individual conformity
assessment scheme.
NOTE Certi�ication schemes might be offered by independent bodies in respect of published standards; this is
wholly independent of the standards-making process and BSI’s activities as the NSB.
4.3.4 Market surveillance

BSI is not empowered, nor resourced, nor quali�ied to conduct market surveillance or to examine
allegations of false claims of compliance with a standard. Such cases should usually be referred in the
�irst instance to the relevant market surveillance authority (MSA) for the matter in question. In the
case of most consumer goods this is the trading standards unit of the local authority in which the
allegation arose.
4.4 Transparency
As part of BSI’s commitment to the transparency and accountability of the standardization process,
the principal documents associated with the work programme of the committee, including notes
of decisions made at committee meetings, will be made available on request, with the exception of
documents that are potentially sensitive, such as brie�ing papers, or of potential commercial value, or
that are subject to restrictions by their originating organizations.
The identities of the organizations represented on a committee are in the public domain. To protect
against lobbying, media or social media attention, the identities of individuals are con�idential.
Individuals may publicize the fact of their own involvement in standards development, provided that
they adhere to BS 0 and all applicable policies, including all con�identiality provisions.

4.5 Disclosure of documents to nominating organizations and employers

Subject to any other provision in this standard, committee members and panel members are
permitted to discuss meeting minutes and other con�idential committee documents with individuals
in their nominating organizations and/or employers, on a need-to-know basis and with the
expectation that those individuals and organizations will respect the con�identiality of the process
and not release any information publicly or to a third party.
5 Development of British Standards

5.1 Principles
The principles underpinning the development of British Standards are set out in 4.1 and 4.2 and are
discussed in further detail in Clause 7.
The majority of documents published as British Standards have their origin in international
standards (developed by ISO and IEC) or European standards (developed by CEN and CENELEC, often
in partnership with their international counterparts). The remainder are developed exclusively by
BSI to meet particular needs in the UK.
From a UK perspective, the focus for all three development streams is the BSI technical committee
responsible for the relevant area of work (see 7.1). The principles of development for each type
of document are broadly similar, but there are some important procedural differences which are
covered in 5.3 and 5.4.
The steps involved in the development, publication and maintenance of British Standards are shown
in Figure 1.
Figure 1 — Stages of standards development, publication and maintenance

5.2 New work

Anyone, whether an individual, or a corporate or collective or public body, can propose a new British,
European or international standard, or the revision or amendment of an existing one.
A proposer is expected to be able to demonstrate:
a) a broadly based need for the proposed standard, revision or amendment; and
b) that the work is likely to have support and participation by a wide range of relevant interests.
BSI will assess whether:
1) there are enough resources to provide an initial draft and complete the project within a
reasonable timescale; and
2) any con�lict would exist with any British Standard or European standard, either published or in
development (see 5.4), consulting technical committees as appropriate.
NOTE The “reasonable timescale” for completion of a project varies according to its complexity and the
breadth of consensus that needs to be established. Less than a year is rarely achievable; more than three years is
rarely acceptable.
It is also expected that detailed consideration will have been given to the type of publication (see 9.4)
best suited to achieve the intended purpose, and that the proposal will be accompanied by a draft
scope statement (see 9.3.3).
All such proposals are evaluated against these criteria, also taking into account strategic priorities
and resourcing. Where considered appropriate, wider consultation and impact assessment might
be undertaken.
Proposals speci�ically for projects to be undertaken at international or European level are also
subject to approval by the UK mirror committee (see 5.6) and to the approval process of the relevant
international or European standardization body.
The international and European processes entail consultation with national bodies to establish
whether there is:
i) a market demand for the proposed standard; and
ii) suf�icient resource available to allow the project to be undertaken ef�iciently.
The outcome of the consultation is expressed as a national vote as to the desirability and feasibility of
the proposal.
All proposals and approved new work items are announced publicly with a view to attracting
comments and a wide range of involvement in their development.
Most projects are accepted onto the work programme on the basis of the scope statement originally
submitted (see also 9.3.3). Subsequent signi�icant changes to the scope can have an impact on the
feasibility or desirability of a project and can result in the work being stopped.
5.3 International standardization

It is widely accepted that the purposes set out in 4.1.2 are most effectively and economically
achieved by international standards. Where these can be established within reasonable timescales
(i.e. typically less than three years) and can command the general acceptance of the international
community, they are the preferred vehicle for voluntary public standardization in the UK. They also
perform a major role in ful�illing the objectives of the World Trade Organization’s “Technical Barriers
to Trade” Agreement (WTO TBT) [2].

However, international standardization is sometimes not feasible due to signi�icant natural, economic,
cultural or political factors. In these cases, standardization at a regional (e.g. European) or national
level is more appropriate.
BSI, as the UK NSB, is a prominent member of both ISO and IEC, and participates fully to represent UK
interests at all levels in those organizations. ISO or IEC standards that are not adopted as European
standards are usually adopted as British Standards unless:
a) there is an existing BS EN on the same subject;
b) the national committee has indicated that there is a more suitable existing national standard on
the same subject; or
c) the national committee has provided a justi�ication for non-implementation.
NOTE Rules and procedures for international standardization are set out in the ISO/IEC Directives ([3], [N1]).
5.4 European standardization

Two European Standards Organizations (ESOs), CEN and CENELEC, ensure the identical adoption of
international standards across their 34 member countries, including European-only standards where
appropriate, and the withdrawal of con�licting national standards. As the UK member of CEN and
CENELEC, there is an obligation on BSI to follow the rules and procedures given in the CEN/CENELEC
Internal Regulations ([N2] to [N4]).
Many European standards are developed in parallel with their international counterparts or are
direct adoptions of them. In CENELEC, IEC standards can be modi�ied (by a process known as
“common modi�ication”) to re�lect speci�ic European market needs or conditions. There is close
cooperation between the respective standards organizations.
NOTE The third ESO is ETSI. See 4.2.1 for further information.
5.5 Common features of international and European standardization

5.5.1 Technical committees
The standards development processes of ISO, IEC, CEN and CENELEC all operate on the basis of
technical committees comprising national delegations appointed by member bodies. In the UK,
that body is BSI. It is usual for each technical committee to be responsible for a range of standards,
both published and in development, that falls within its scope. Technical committees report to the
managing bodies of their respective organizations, and these are responsible for monitoring the
overall work programme and arbitrating disputes about committees’ terms of reference and spheres
of activity.
NOTE BSI may also set up strategy and advisory committees to assist it in particular sectors.
5.5.2 Working groups

Technical committees can be subdivided into more specialist subcommittees. It is usual practice for
the technical committee or subcommittee to allocate the drafting of each project to a group of experts,
usually known as a working group (WG).
NOTE Other terms, such as “maintenance team”, “project team” or “ad hoc group”, are sometimes used for bodies
set up by technical committees to undertake speci�ic roles or tasks.
Working groups, each managed by a convenor appointed by the parent committee, are expected to
work on the principle of consensus (see 7.5.3).
Any dispute that arises during the drafting process and cannot be resolved by the working group is
expected to be referred to the parent committee for resolution. Technical committees retain authority
for the content of the published standard.

5.5.3 Consultation with national bodies

The scale of participation in international and European standardization is such that it is impractical
to apply the principle of consensus to all aspects of the development process. At speci�ic stages [when
a new work item is proposed (see also 5.2), during public consultation (see 5.8) and when the �inal
draft is ready for approval (see 5.5.4)], the draft is referred back to national bodies which are invited
to express their considered views on it by means of national votes. Although this process sometimes
results in a strongly held national position being overridden, the voting thresholds are set suf�iciently
high for the characteristics of consensus (see 3.1.12 and 7.5.3) to underpin most international and
European standards.
At the public consultation stage (often termed the “enquiry” or “comment” stage), national bodies are
expected to have in place a mechanism by which the draft is made available for general public review.
The responses to the consultation are evaluated and used as the basis for preparing national
comments. The comments generally inform the national vote, re�lecting a view as to whether
the draft should go forward for further development or whether the project needs fundamental
reconsideration by the committee responsible for it.
In complex or contentious projects this stage might have to be repeated. However, this is discouraged
because of the delays it causes.
National comments are reviewed by the responsible technical committee (a task which it is usually
free to delegate). Assuming that the project passes the �irst voting stage, comments are referred to the
working group for further re�inement of the draft.
5.5.4 Final approval

When the technical committee is satis�ied that a draft has been developed that takes due cognizance
of national comments and is suitable for publication as a standard, it authorizes the voting stage,
usually termed the “�inal” or “formal” vote. This is of shorter duration and is neither expected to
involve wide national consultation nor to attract comments of a technical nature. National bodies are
simply invited to register approval or disapproval, in the latter case to be supported by a technical
justi�ication.
NOTE The �inal approval stage may be omitted under certain conditions which differ between organizations.
See the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1 [3], and the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, Part 2 [N2].
5.6 UK participation in international and European standardization

It is generally expected that national member bodies will, as far as their needs and resources dictate,
maintain national technical committees that re�lect the same areas of interest as their international
and European counterparts. Within the UK, these are usually termed “mirror committees”.
BSI committees (see Clause 7) ful�il this function for the UK, as well as being responsible for British
Standards of UK origin. They are responsible for appointing delegates to international and European
technical committees and for identifying and selecting appropriate experts to participate in the
working groups.
Under normal circumstances, all enquiry drafts, including those for amendments, are issued as BSI
drafts for public comment (DPC) (see 5.8).
BSI committees are responsible for reviewing the responses to the public consultation, for
compiling UK national comments and for advising BSI on the votes to be returned on each project
(see 5.3 and 5.4).
In the event of serious legitimate concerns about the proposed content of a European standard,
particularly in terms of safety or in cases of apparent con�lict with UK legislation or regulations,

procedures can be invoked to try to resolve them. In such cases, advice should be sought from BSI as
early in the project as possible.
All members of national committees mirroring work at international or European level are bound by
the rules and protocols of the appropriate international or European standards body.
5.7 British Standards of UK origin

BSI is free to produce and maintain standards on subjects not covered by European standardization.
In many cases these will be in areas in which there is fairly clear national consensus but for which
a wider geographical consensus would be more dif�icult to achieve within a reasonable timescale.
In other cases, standards are developed for use in the UK before being proposed for further
development as international or European standards.
British Standards of UK origin are usually expected to be developed within an 18-month timescale,
and BSI usually applies a level of resource to help achieve this.
The development process is broadly similar to that for international and European standards,
although there are no voting stages. The committee is asked to give approval at two stages (for the
draft to go to public consultation and for the �inal version to be published), but no positive vote is
required; if committee members do not respond by a set deadline then they are deemed to have given
their approval.
Public consultation is an essential part of the process and the responses arising from it are reviewed
in the same manner as for international and European projects.
Panels are expected to work on the principle of consensus (see 7.5.3). Any dispute that arises during
the drafting process and cannot be resolved by the panel is expected to be referred to the parent
committee for resolution.
5.8 Consultation – Draft for public comment

A draft for public comment (DPC) is the principal means by which BSI discharges its responsibility
to consult on the content of British Standards. It is used for all such projects (including draft
international and European standards and UK national annexes to them) and for all amendments of a
technical nature that might affect the application of a standard or the attestation of conformity to it.
A DPC is expected to be a mature draft, re�lecting at least the proposed technical content of the
standard. In addition to inviting comments on text proposed for publication, DPCs can be used to
pose speci�ic questions to seek opinions from a wider community on particular points.
DPCs are usually issued for a minimum period of 60 days, as required by the World Trade
Organization’s “Technical Barriers to Trade” Agreement (WTO TBT) [2]. Exceptionally, longer or
shorter periods may be selected to re�lect particular needs or circumstances. BSI endeavours to make
DPCs easily available and encourages informed responses from any organization or individual.
The committee or panel considers and resolves all comments received (which could involve rejection
of a comment or of a speci�ic proposed change). BSI reserves the right to omit from the committee’s
consideration any offensive or vexatious comments or those that re�lect a campaign on the part of a
vested interest.

6 Publishing and maintaining standards

6.1 Publication
6.1.1 Principles
Standards should be developed only when there is a demonstrable need for them. Publication
therefore needs to be achieved as quickly as is consistent with the principles in BS 0.
BSI sells its standards through a wide range of distributors and in as wide a range of formats as can
be commercially and technologically supported.
6.1.2 Adoption of international and European standards

The obligations set out in 5.4 regarding the adoption of all European standards form part of BSI’s
terms of membership of CEN and CENELEC.
No such obligations apply in respect of international standards, but BSI, as a member of ISO and IEC,
has a policy of adopting all international standards unless there are sound reasons to the contrary.
The relevant national committee is consulted on the proposed adoption of international standards
(see also 5.3).
6.1.3 National forewords/annexes

Each UK adoption of an international or European standard has a national foreword which can be
used to state and explain any concerns that the UK mirror committee might have about its content.
It may not be used to modify or supplement the text of the standard, but it is permissible to offer
advice and guidance on applying the standard in a UK context.
More extended advice and guidance may be provided in the form of a national annex. In certain cases
(e.g. Eurocodes) the provision of national annexes containing nationally determined parameters and
provisions is envisaged in the drafting of the European standard.
The need for a UK mirror committee to make any such statement is almost always foreseeable,
and advice should be sought from BSI as early as possible. In general, national annexes containing
signi�icant technical material are subject to public consultation, although not necessarily at the
same time as the international or European material to which they relate. With a few established
exceptions, national forewords and national annexes are always informative in status.
6.1.4 Approval of publication

The status of “British Standard” can be conferred on a document only by a formal approval process as
from time to time agreed by the BSI Board in accordance with its Royal Charter and bye-laws.
The approval process is used to con�irm that all relevant procedures and responsibilities have
been discharged. It does not necessarily signify approval of a European text which BSI is obliged to
adopt (see 5.4).
6.2 Maintenance
6.2.1 Principles
All British Standards are subject to review at least every �ive years. BSI aims to ensure that each
British Standard falls under the responsibility of a standing technical committee that undertakes such
reviews and considers any matters of concern brought to its notice at any other time.
If it is presented with evidence that one of its standards is unclear, inaccurate, disputable, or in
any other way un�it for purpose, BSI endeavours to rectify the problem. The steps it takes will be

proportionate to the severity of the risk posed, and urgent safety problems can be expected to receive
urgent action.
However, especially if it is necessary to make reference to a body outside BSI (e.g. a European or
international standards committee), a less urgent problem might take many months or even years to
be resolved.
Errors inadvertently introduced during the drafting or production of a standard that could lead to
incorrect or unsafe application of the standard can be recti�ied by publication of a corrigendum.
Trivial errors are usually left uncorrected until the need for a more substantial amendment arises.
6.2.2 Reviews
Reviews may be instigated at any time, at the discretion of either BSI or the responsible
technical committee.
Whilst the responsibility for reviewing a standard lies with the appropriate technical committee, a
public consultation is always a feature of the process and the views of the committee will be informed
by any responses to it. These responses are particularly important for assessing a standard’s
continuing �itness for purpose and market relevance.
A review usually results in a standard being con�irmed for continued use, withdrawn, or updated.
There are four ways of updating a standard: revision, new edition, amendment and corrigendum.
• For full revisions, the text is completely reviewed from an editorial as well as a technical
viewpoint, and is brought into line with the most recent edition of the BSI Rules for the structure
and drafting of UK standards [N5]. Revisions take a new publication date.
• Amendments retain the original publication date, with an amendment date added. Only new
or changed text is edited and issued for public comment. Additions, changes and deletions are
marked with amendment tags.
• New editions fall between revisions and amendments. New editions can be used where many
changes are introduced that affect a large proportion of the content, thus making an amendment
unsuitable, but a full revision is not considered practicable. As with amendments, only new or
changed text is edited and issued for public comment. However, unlike amendments, there are no
amendment tags or other marks to indicate additions, changes or deletions. New editions take a
new publication date.
• Corrigenda are used to correct one or more errors or ambiguities inadvertently introduced in
either drafting or production that could lead to incorrect or unsafe application of the standard.
Additions, changes and deletions are marked with corrigendum tags. There is no change to the
publication date, but a reference to the corrigendum is included in the identi�ier.
In cases where it is not possible to undertake an adequate review (e.g. due to the lack of appropriate
expertise), the standard is usually withdrawn.
6.2.3 Withdrawn publications

Withdrawal of a British Standard is at the discretion of BSI, but does not usually occur unless a full
review process has been undertaken and a new version published, an adequate review has not been
possible (see 6.2.2), or the standard is deemed to be in con�lict with a European standard.
If there is an industry need, a transition period can be included so that the current version and the
subsequent edition are both current for an agreed period of time. This allows an industry to update
relevant processes or products by the end of the agreed period of time in order to be able to claim
conformity. The decision as to whether a transition period can be accommodated is at the discretion
of BSI, and cannot con�lict with any applicable European standardization rules.

Withdrawn publications no longer carry the status of a British Standard. However, BSI continues to
hold and protect the copyright in them.
Recognizing that withdrawn publications can be important for research and litigation purposes, BSI
endeavours to ensure that copies continue to be available for sale. BSI takes no responsibility for the
content of a withdrawn publication.
Withdrawn publications are no longer maintained and are deemed incapable of con�licting with
other standards.
7 BSI committees
NOTE See 3.1.5 for de�initions of the different types of committee.
7.1 Principles
Development under the collective authorship of a committee is one of the de�ining characteristics of a
British Standard.
A properly constituted and functioning BSI technical committee provides:
a) the means for effective representation of a wide range of interests;
b) critical but constructive consideration and validation of technical standpoints; and
c) dispassionate evaluation of submissions arising from public consultations.
Its decisions are expected to be transparent and defensible, and made with due regard to the wider
interests that are likely to be affected by them.
Each technical committee comes under the authority of SPSC, which is responsible for establishing
it, determining its terms of reference and initial structure, and, if the need arises, disbanding it. SPSC
may also choose to establish and empower senior committees to have oversight of speci�ic sectors or
areas of work and to coordinate the work of the relevant technical committees.
Each technical committee has clear and unambiguous terms of reference that de�ine and delimit its
role and scope of activity, so as to prevent encroachment on those of any other committee.
BSI has a responsibility to maintain a fair and wide-ranging balance of interests within each
committee. The nature of the balance necessarily varies from committee to committee, but a
committee in which one type of interest has a predominant in�luence is likely to be regarded
as unbalanced.
There are areas of work for which it is dif�icult to achieve representation from a wide range of
interest groups. In these cases, it is important that representation on a committee is not limited to a
single interest. As a general rule, there should be participation by at least two parties whose interests
do not coincide.
SPSC is the ultimate arbiter in cases of dispute about representation on a committee or a dispute
between committees concerning their respective work programmes or terms of reference. All other
cases of dispute are to be resolved in accordance with 7.7, in respect of which BSI senior management
may seek the guidance of SPSC.
BSI has ultimate responsibility for all committees, including ensuring adherence to all of BSI and
international and European standardization rules, principles and processes.
7.2 Committee constitution

The development of a British Standard is a collective endeavour that needs to involve a wide range of
legitimate interests, and BSI welcomes applications for membership from any interested parties.

BSI aims to ensure that committees:

a) contain the appropriate technical expertise;
b) fairly represent the range of interests affected by their standards, including users of the
standards; and
c) re�lect BSI’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
For practical reasons, as well as to achieve a fair balance of interests, committees have to be restricted
to a manageable size and it is necessary to set certain criteria for membership.
Committee membership is at the sole discretion of BSI. It cannot be claimed as of right. It is not
granted to any individual, organization or company seeking only to advance its own interests. BSI is
not obliged to provide reasons for refusing membership.
It is generally expected that those sitting on a committee will:
1) be able to demonstrate technical expertise or relevant knowledge or experience in some areas of
the committee’s work; and
2) represent a collective body (nominating organization) that has a legitimate interest in the work
of the committee.
However, it might also be possible for people with relevant expertise in the committee’s work to
represent themselves as individuals, or represent companies or other organizations where it can be
demonstrated that their participation would be of wider bene�it to the work of the committee and
would not adversely affect the balance of decision making. Such membership is distinct from co-opted
membership (see 7.4).
In certain circumstances, non-voting observer membership of a committee is permitted at BSI’s
discretion. This is only where an individual or organization can prove its need to monitor a particular
work programme, or where it can be useful in the recruitment and/or training of new committee
members. Non-voting observers receive committee documents, can attend meetings and provide
comments for consideration by fellow committee members, but do not participate in the decision
making process that leads to consensus.
The constitution of a committee comes under regular scrutiny by the committee itself and by
BSI. Records are maintained of those organizations invited to participate in its work. In order to
encourage transparency, these records are made publicly available by BSI upon request (see 4.4).
Anyone who considers that a committee does not represent the markets or interests affected by
a particular standard can raise this with BSI via the committee manager or using BSI’s online
contact details.
7.3 Nominating organizations

Nominating organizations are usually expected to:
a) be formally constituted;
b) have a de�ined scope or terms of reference consistent with those of the committee;
c) have open and non-discriminatory engagement criteria such as to permit representation of any
UK interests that share their objectives;
d) be an authoritative voice for a de�ined interest or group of interests affected, or potentially
affected, by the work of the committee; and
e) be committed to supporting the principle of consensus-based voluntary standardization.

Typically, nominating organizations �it into one of the following stakeholder categories:
1) trade association;
2) professional body;
3) research/scienti�ic institution;
4) Government department;
5) Government agency/organization;
6) testing/certi�ication body;
7) academia;
8) local authority (excluding trading standards);
9) trading standards;
10) other public/societal interest (including charities);
11) trade union;
12) consumer organization; and
13) environmental organization.
It is important that close and effective liaison is maintained between committee members and
the organizations they represent, in order for the organizations’ viewpoints to be established and
their interests pursued effectively. It is expected that comprehensive brie�ings and reports will be
routinely exchanged and that nominating organizations will ensure that, directly or indirectly, those
representing their interests are adequately resourced to do so.
NOTE This refers to technical committee and subcommittee members, not panels for British Standards of
UK origin (see 8.7).
An organization wishing to make a nomination is expected to comply with all relevant BSI policies in
force at the time.
Organizations are encouraged to consider diversity when selecting individuals to put forward as their
nominated representative on a committee.
Organizations wishing to have more than one representative are expected to be able to justify such
a request. This would be considered in the context of the overall size and balance of the committee
(see 7.1 and 7.2).
Organizations represented on a committee are expected to accept that it will sometimes be necessary
for their interests to be put aside in order to achieve the higher purpose of developing standards that
are ultimately of bene�it to the entire community (see 7.5.3).
7.4 Co-option for speci�ic tasks

Individuals can be co-opted onto a BSI committee if they offer specialist technical expertise required
for a speci�ic project or work programme. They are not regarded as having membership in an
individual capacity (see 7.2) and are neither expected nor permitted to represent any interest.
Co-option is usually subject to the committee’s approval, although BSI is empowered to co-opt
because of its overall responsibility for a committee’s constitution.
NOTE See 8.7 for co-option onto panels for British Standards of UK origin.
Co-opted members are expected to recognize that, at the chair’s discretion, their views might be
taken into account only on those topics for which their particular expertise was originally sought.

7.5 Decision making

7.5.1 Principles
All committee decisions are made on the basis of consensus (see 7.5.3). This might entail meetings,
but, in many cases, decisions can be agreed by correspondence. Whether by correspondence or
otherwise, the process needs to meet the following conditions:
a) suf�iciently clear and transparent;
b) completed in a timely manner; and
c) appropriately documented (including all decisions).
7.5.2 Meetings
“Meetings” include face-to-face meetings, those held by conference call or online, and any
combination thereof. It is critical that all standing requirements (including, but not limited to,
attendance recording and declarations regarding con�licts of interest and intellectual property) are
adhered to, irrespective of the form in which the meeting takes place.
A record is taken of all attendees at a meeting. For physical meetings, attendees should sign an
attendance sheet. Dialling in to a conference call or joining an online meeting is deemed to constitute
signing the attendance sheet.
The quorum for a committee meeting is three, not including the chair, BSI employees or BSI
representatives.
NOTE “Committee meeting” refers to technical committees and subcommittees, not panels for British Standards
of UK origin (see 8.7.1).
Meetings entail considerable resources and should not be convened without good reason. However, it
is important that members have the opportunity to discuss complex or contentious matters as part of
the consensus-building process.
Committees are encouraged to explore means that do not entail physical meetings, e.g. conference call
or online meeting.
Adequate notice of a meeting needs to be given and all members should be given the opportunity to
propose items of business for inclusion on the agenda.
Members unable to attend a meeting are expected to tender apologies for absence. They are also
encouraged to make written submissions for consideration during the meeting.
A nominating organization is entitled to be represented at a meeting by an adequately briefed
alternative representative if its usual nominee is unable to attend. This does not, of right, extend
to co-opted members, company representatives or those acting in an individual capacity, although
committee chairs may exercise discretion on this point.
Infrequent or inadequate participation is likely to bring into question whether a member is
adequately ful�illing the role set out in 8.4. In such cases the individual and/or the organization
they represent will be asked to con�irm their ongoing interest in the work and, as applicable, may
nominate an alternative representative.
Decisions taken by those present at a formal meeting are binding on the entire committee. Other than
in exceptional circumstances and at the discretion of the chair and committee manager, business
concluded at a meeting cannot be subsequently reopened.
BSI strives to ensure that committee meetings are conducted in such a way as to enable equal
participation from all members of the committee.

7.5.3 Consensus
The principle of consensus has its origins in the desire to achieve the general acceptance and
application of a standard within its intended sphere of in�luence. This entails trying to ensure that the
interests of all those likely to be affected by it are taken into account, and that individual concerns are
carefully and fairly balanced against the wider public interest.
Achievement of consensus entails recognition of this wider interest and willingness to make
reasonable compromises (see also 7.3 and 8.4). Trivial or vexatious objections are unlikely to gain
support and may be overruled.
However, where a member consistently maintains a fundamental objection and supports it with
sound arguments, these concerns will be taken seriously.
If such fundamental objections are not voiced by a set deadline as noti�ied by BSI and sustained by
that member or others, it will be assumed that consensus has been achieved.
In reaching decisions by consensus, members are expected to abide by the national, European or
international regulations applicable to that decision.
In the ordinary course of events, all decisions about consensus are made within committee, under
the direction of the chair, who is expected to remain impartial [see 8.5.1e)]. If an issue arises which
the chair and committee manager do not believe can be resolved within the committee, they may
refer the point to BSI’s senior management, who may seek the advice of SPSC at their discretion
(see also 7.7).
If consensus cannot be achieved regarding a UK vote in respect of an international or European
standard, the time available often precludes an extended disputes resolution process. In such cases, a
UK abstention will be formally recorded.
If consensus cannot be achieved regarding a stand-alone British Standard, the project may be
cancelled at BSI’s discretion.
7.5.4 UK delegates and experts in international and European bodies

The relevant UK mirror committee usually selects delegations to formal meetings of international
or European standards committees. Delegations are expected to receive a comprehensive brief from
the UK mirror committee, and to re�lect it faithfully when attending the meeting in question. If it is
necessary to depart from a position established by the mirror committee, delegations should be able
to defend their actions (e.g. by reference to broader strategic considerations).
The selection of delegates should be informed by the nature of the business likely to be discussed at
the meeting. It is desirable that the UK delegation has as thorough an understanding as possible of
the topics under discussion, so that it can respond authoritatively to positions held by other national
delegations.
National delegations seldom comprise more than three individuals (including the head of delegation),
and resource constraints often dictate that only one is able to attend.
Those who are nominated by UK mirror committees to attend international or European working
groups or similar bodies (see 5.5.2) are selected principally for their subject expertise. They are
neither expected nor permitted to represent any interest group. They may be drawn from outside the
committee membership, in which case they become co-opted members of the UK mirror committee
for the duration of the project. Before beginning their work, they are expected to have taken a brief
from the UK mirror committee, preferably by attending a meeting so that they can understand the
nature of the UK interest in it, and any particular position that the UK wishes to be re�lected in the
drafting work.

Delegates and experts attending any international or European standardization meeting are fully
accountable to the respective UK mirror committee. They are expected to provide a succinct but
comprehensive report of the outcomes of the meeting to the relevant committee manager for
circulation to the committee, with particular emphasis on matters of interest or concern to the UK
committee. Such reports should not be circulated elsewhere due to the con�idential nature of the
information contained. Where more than one delegate or expert attends the same meeting for the
same purpose, a single report will usually suf�ice.
7.6 Minutes
At the start of formally constituted committee meetings, the minutes from the previous meeting
should be reviewed and con�irmed (with modi�ications if appropriate).
Every formally constituted meeting of a BSI committee is minuted to record the following details:
a) the time, date and place of the meeting;
b) the organizations represented at the meeting;
c) apologies received;
d) the organizations registered as members but not represented at the meeting, if they have not
sent apologies;
e) any changes to the constitution of the committee since the last meeting;
f) any declared con�licts of interest;
g) any declarations of intellectual property rights (IPR) for published standards and/or work
in progress;
h) decisions, outcomes and actions agreed at the meeting; and
i) any speci�ic statement or standpoint requested to be recorded by an individual member.
Other than as agreed under item h), verbatim or extensive records of discussions are not taken.
Formal minutes are not usually taken of meetings of panels, working groups or similar ad hoc groups.
If they are, the same protocols apply as for minutes of committee meetings.
The minutes are the de�initive record of the meeting.
7.7 Disputes
Prolonged disagreements at any stage of a standard’s development can be very damaging. Every
effort should be made to resolve them quickly. Initially, it is the responsibility of the committee chair
to lead this task, with the support of the committee manager and other BSI employees as appropriate.
If these efforts are not succeeding, and are unlikely to succeed within a reasonable timescale, BSI
senior management should be alerted without further delay.
A detailed investigation of the problem will be undertaken, and remedial measures will be proposed.
7.8 Legal issues

A committee should refer promptly to BSI if it identi�ies potential legal or regulatory issues.
7.9 Con�identiality and external communications

The standards development process is, as far as is feasible, open and transparent to those not
participating in it directly (see 4.4). However, in order to encourage the free exchange of views, it is
expected that formal committee meetings will usually be held in private, and that individual views
and standpoints will not be reported outside the meeting without the express prior consent of
those involved.

As such, minutes and other accounts of committee discussions are con�idential to the members of
the committee and BSI. Draft documents, including draft standards, are for private circulation by
committee members, allowing limited consultation with organizations represented and external
experts (see 4.5). Only drafts designated as “for public comment” (5.8) and published standards are
public documents.
Without express prior written authorization of BSI, it is not acceptable for any committee member
to issue a public statement (e.g. to the press, on social media, or at a conference) that divulges
the expected or unpublished content of a standard under development, or purports to re�lect the
collective viewpoint of a BSI committee or of BSI as an organization.
Any requests for a committee member to give evidence in legal or administrative proceedings
in respect of his or her membership of a BSI committee should be noti�ied immediately to BSI
senior management.
7.10 Delegation of responsibilities

In consultation with BSI, a technical committee may establish one or more subcommittees to take
responsibility for particular aspects of its terms of reference, which might be national, European
or international. The technical committee is responsible for establishing the terms of reference,
delegated powers and initial membership of any such subcommittee. Such subcommittees function in
all other respects according to the same principles that apply to technical committees.
A technical committee or subcommittee is also empowered to establish panels to undertake speci�ic
items or programmes of work, which might be national, European or international. Panels are
generally not standing bodies and are usually disbanded on the completion of their allotted tasks.
The parent committee is expected to exercise vigilance over the composition of panels to ensure that
they do not re�lect any undue commercial in�luence or bias.
BSI may retain a technical author to assist in drafting a standard.
7.11 Inter-committee liaison

If a technical committee identi�ies a particular need to liaise with or be represented on another
technical committee, it can nominate one of its members to sit in a representative capacity on the
other committee, subject to the agreement of BSI. An example of such a liaison would be between
committees that work in a related �ield to prevent overlap or duplication of effort. In such cases
the principles set out in 7.2, 7.3 and 7.7 apply to all parties as appropriate. Liaison representatives
should provide comprehensive brie�ings and reports and may facilitate the exchange of documents,
including working drafts. The liaison member may participate in the meetings of the committee they
have been nominated to follow.
8 Roles and responsibilities

8.1 BSI
BSI’s principal responsibilities within the scope of this standard are outlined in 4.1.5, 4.2 and 7.1.
In addition, BSI endeavours to:
a) take effective steps to promote its activities as the NSB;
b) maintain an in�luential presence in the governance and management of international and
European standardization;
c) make available a comprehensive training programme for the bene�it of all those who directly
participate in the standards development process;

d) provide support and guidance on the standardization process; and

e) maintain policies and internal procedures to support the effective discharge of all of these
responsibilities.
8.2 BSI employees

No employee of BSI or its group involved in BSI’s NSB activity may be a decision-making member of
a standards-making committee or panel, unless express prior written consent from the Director of
Standards is obtained.
NOTE For clarity, employees involved in BSI’s Noti�ied Body activity or its certi�ication business are not deemed to
be NSB employees for the purposes of the above paragraph.
BSI employees are permitted to offer relevant guidance and advice at any point in a committee’s
deliberations. BSI employees are also empowered and expected to intervene in such deliberations if
it becomes apparent that they are likely to lead to decisions that are unlawful, illegal or potentially
injurious to BSI’s reputation.
8.3 Conduct
Those participating in BSI’s standardization work, whether as committee or panel members, BSI
employees, or in any other internal or external capacity, are expected to maintain high standards
of commitment, personal conduct and professional integrity in all aspects of this work, including
complying with BS 0 and with all BSI policies in force at the relevant time.
Those undertaking standards work have a right to expect courteous and open-minded treatment
by their colleagues and for their views to be duly considered and respected. It is expected that
participants will treat each other equally and without discrimination or bias. They should also be
able to rely on their colleagues’ participation and commitment and on their constructive approach to
solving problems, removing obstacles to progress and achieving consensus.
Those representing the UK in international or European forums have a particular responsibility to
ensure that the UK’s in�luence is not compromised by poor standards of advocacy, commitment or
personal conduct.
BSI reserves the right to suspend or remove a committee or panel member (including committee
chairs/panel convenors) or nominating organization for any breach of any of its governing
documents (including BS 0) or relevant policies, or for otherwise acting in a manner detrimental to
the standards development process.
NOTE This includes (but is not limited to) conduct that fails to meet expectations, repeated non-attendance at
meetings without apology, or failure to participate in comments or votes, or to follow up allocated actions.
8.4 Committee members

The role of BSI committee members is to:
a) contribute their expertise and experience to the committee’s standardization programme; and
b) represent the interests, aspirations and concerns of the organization or company that they
represent on the committee (see 7.2), other than in the cases of individual or co-opted members,
who have no representational function (see 7.4).
All members of BSI committees, including those acting as chairs or secretaries, have a duty of care
both to BSI and to users of BSI’s publications. They are expected to:
1) act in good faith, with diligence and vigilance, aiming to ensure that:
i) their contribution to the committee’s work re�lects their experience and expertise and is
well-founded, free from bias and consistent with the principles set out in BS 0; and

ii) the output of the committee is technically sound;

2) take full account of the IPR considerations set out in 9.5.2;
3) make a formal declaration to the committee if any matter arises that could be judged to be a
con�lict of interest (see 3.1.9);
4) provide a brief summary of their expertise, experience and, if applicable, commercial interests;
5) be able and willing to use information technology tools that are made available to expedite the
committee’s work; and
6) participate in meetings as and when required (see 7.5.2).
8.5 Committee chairs

8.5.1 Responsibilities
Chairs of BSI committees hold a key position in BSI’s work. They have an important set of
responsibilities, including:
a) leading the committee in its formal deliberations, with the objective of establishing consensus on
all matters brought to it for a decision;
b) ensuring that a UK standpoint is established on international and European standardization
matters within the committee’s terms of reference, and that effective measures are in place for
representing those views in appropriate forums;
c) contributing to strategic planning of the committee’s activities and work programme;
d) assisting BSI in identifying potential committee members, and alerting BSI to any perceived
imbalance in the constitution of the committee (see 7.2) or under-representation of important
stakeholders, interests or expertise;
e) in all of the committee’s business, exercising judgement without bias, mindful of the far-reaching
consequences that sometimes attach to a committee’s decisions;
f) ensuring that all those participating in the work of the committee are encouraged and able to
have their views heard and respected;
g) supporting panels and working groups, and encouraging them to maintain schedules
agreed with BSI;
h) approving drafts for public comment and publication promptly for British Standards of UK origin
(see 6.1.4);
i) having regard to the reputation and standing of BSI and its work; and
j) in consultation and conjunction with the committee manager, or appropriate BSI contact point,
taking all necessary and appropriate steps to ensure that the business of the committee is
undertaken fully in accordance with BS 0, particularly with due regard to the conduct required of
committee members.
The role of chair is a greater time commitment than that of a committee member. Those offering
themselves as chair should be aware of the importance of thorough preparation for meetings and
the need for attention to all documents presented to a committee. The chair is also frequently the
principal interface between the committee and BSI.
When appointed, if a chair is already a member of the committee, it is expected that they will
relinquish the role of representing a particular organization or interest for the duration of their term
as chair. Exceptions to this principle can only be made with the prior express consent of BSI’s Head
of Standards Governance and the committee, and might be subject to additional protocols. This does

not mean that the chair is precluded from offering the technical expertise or relevant knowledge or
experience for which they were originally appointed to the committee.
It is recognized that, for reasons of �inancial or practical support, a chair might need to maintain links
with an organization represented on the committee. In such cases this should be made known to BSI
and to all members of the committee.
8.5.2 Qualities
Whilst chairs are expected to have at least the level of technical expertise that is commensurate
with membership of the committee, it is not expected that they will necessarily be the committee’s
pre-eminent technical expert. In the case of committees responsible for a wide range of subjects, it is
desirable for a chair to have a broad working knowledge of the committee’s technical interests. It is
also desirable to have an understanding of the application of the standards for which the committee
is responsible, and of the markets in which they are used.
In order to ful�il the responsibilities outlined in 8.5.1, the principal qualities sought in a chair are the
abilities to:
a) communicate effectively;
b) manage meetings effectively;
c) lead and listen;
d) assimilate and evaluate complex information quickly;
e) see all sides of an argument;
f) reconcile opposing arguments and forge an acceptable consensus;
g) win and maintain the support and respect of colleagues; and
h) appreciate diversity in all its forms, encouraging membership and contribution from an
appropriately wide range of individuals and stakeholders.
8.5.3 Appointment and removal of chairs

Chairs normally serve for terms of up to three years, which may be renewed by mutual agreement.
NOTE Chairs commonly serve no more than two consecutive terms.
Technical committee chairs are appointed by BSI with approval by SPSC. Subcommittee chairs are
appointed by BSI in consultation with their technical committee.
Appointments are usually made on the basis of a nomination by BSI, after an evaluation of candidates
against the criteria discussed in 8.5.2. Interviews are often held for this purpose. It is usual to consult
a committee as to its views on the chair, but elections are not held and the committee’s views are not
binding on BSI.
Chairs can be appointed from within the committee membership, but prior membership of a
committee is not an absolute requirement for appointment as chair.
Chairs may be removed before the end of their term if BSI is of the reasonable opinion that they are
not complying with the general obligations of BSI chairs.
Committees may have a deputy chair. This might be, for example, to have a second point of contact for
the committee manager, or a member who can chair meetings if the appointed chair is unavailable.

8.6 Committee managers

Committee managers are the principal interface between the committee and BSI. They are
responsible for ensuring that committees are properly constituted and function ef�iciently, effectively
and in accordance with all BSI policies and procedures. In particular, they are responsible for:
a) issuing notices and agendas for meetings;
b) issuing minutes to the committee, and ensuring that actions arising are followed up;
c) providing BSI policy and procedural expertise to the committee; and
d) reviewing the membership, having regard to the need for diverse and balanced representation
and effective participation of all relevant stakeholders.
Most committee managers are BSI employees. Committee managers can be provided by industry
through a formal agreement with BSI, in which case they are allocated a BSI contact person for advice,
guidance and general interface.
Committee managers provided by BSI or industry are neutral and do not contribute to technical
discussions on standards in development, nor are they responsible for the technical content, which
remains the responsibility of the committee members. BSI may reassign committee managers to
different committees at its own discretion, according to its internal requirements.
In some cases, the responsibilities of the committee manager are shared between a speci�ic BSI team,
the committee chair and individual members of the committee. It is also possible for BSI to delegate
tasks to an appropriate person if the normal committee manager is unavailable.
For projects for British Standards of UK origin, the committee manager normally attends the kick-off
meeting, but is not required to attend any other drafting meetings (although they can do so if it is
considered to be necessary).
8.7 Additional roles and responsibilities for British Standards of UK origin

8.7.1 Panels for British Standards of UK origin
The drafting of British Standards of UK origin is often delegated by the committee to a panel of
experts (see 7.10).
Panel members are expected to:
a) understand and adhere to BS 0, BSI procedures and the key stages of the development process;
b) understand and adhere to the Rules for the structure and drafting of UK standards [N5] and BSI
house style;
c) be able and willing to use information technology tools that are made available;
d) commit to publishing the standard on schedule;
e) actively participate throughout the development process, take on actions, and meet
agreed deadlines;
f) provide relevant technical input, attending meetings where necessary and completing work
between meetings;
g) be responsible for obtaining appropriate consent to reproduce third-party IPR, if it is determined
that such material needs to be included; and
h) review all drafts and comments carefully, prior to meetings, and raise queries or objections
within agreed timescales.

Panel members are co-opted for their personal expertise and experience. Unlike committee members,
they neither represent nor take a brief from any organization or company, and it is not usually
considered appropriate for them to send a representative in the event that they are unable to attend a
meeting. It is not necessary for them to be members of a committee. The technical committee retains
authority for the content of the standard. It will be the arbiter in the case of technical disagreements.
There is no quorum for a panel meeting.
8.7.2 Panel convenors

Effective chairing of a panel can make a great difference to the ef�iciency of the development
of a standard.
The panel convenor has the same responsibilities as the other panel members (see 8.7.1), but is also
expected to:
a) act to attain consensus throughout the drafting process;
b) work closely with the editorial project manager (see 8.7.3) to ensure that drafting progresses on
schedule and that any dif�iculties are resolved quickly;
c) run meetings effectively to ensure that discussions are succinct and focused, and be decisive,
where necessary;
d) safeguard the impartiality and integrity of the development process;
e) delegate actions;
f) encourage all members to complete work within agreed timescales to ensure that the project is
published on schedule;
g) alert BSI to any underrepresentation of important interests or expertise;
h) agree/provide a list of items to cover at meetings; and
i) provide progress reports and updates to the responsible technical committee, committee
manager and editorial project manager, when requested, in a timely manner.
NOTE This is particularly important when panel meetings take place with no BSI employees present.
8.7.3 Editorial project managers

Editorial project managers are responsible for the management, editing and publishing of British
Standards of UK origin. They work with individual panels/committees to guide standards from
inception to publication, within the timescale agreed by the panel/committee at the start of
the project.
In addition to the general responsibilities of all BSI employees (see 8.2), editorial project managers
have speci�ic responsibilities to:
a) support the convenor and committee manager in managing the panel;
b) agree schedules with the panel/committee at the beginning of the project and subsequently
work with the panel/committee to publish the standard on schedule;
c) arrange and attend drafting meetings, as necessary, providing editorial input;
NOTE Editorial project managers do not need to be present at all drafting meetings, in particular, for
technical drafting meetings.
d) edit drafts in accordance with BS 0, the Rules for the structure and drafting of UK standards [N5]
and BSI house style;
e) arrange for drawings to be prepared by the BSI Drawing Oﬃce;

f) coordinate the resolution of technical and editorial queries; and

g) keep relevant stakeholders informed of progress with the draft.
Editorial project managers work closely with committee managers, but do not ful�il the same role.
Committee managers have ultimate responsibility for the standards produced by their committees,
and deal with any matters pertaining to panel/committee membership. Editorial project managers
are responsible for the day-to-day management of individual projects.
9 Content and drafting of standards

9.1 Principles
For a British Standard to ful�il the purposes set out in 4.1.2, it needs to be drafted in such a way
that a user can be con�ident that all others applying the standard share the same understanding of
its provisions.
It is fundamentally important for a standard to be:
a) suitable for its intended aims and purposes;
b) appropriate in content and language for its intended audience;
c) clear and unambiguous;
d) suf�iciently accurate and precise for its intended purpose;
e) capable of supporting legitimate claims of compliance and conformity (e.g. by containing only
provisions that are veri�iable) where appropriate to its stated purpose;
f) not unduly restrictive (e.g. such as might result in sti�ling competition or impeding innovation;
provisions should, as far as possible, be written in terms of performance);
g) comprehensive within its intended scope and �ield of application (i.e. it does not omit any detail
necessary for its effective application by its intended audience); and
h) consistent with the law in all jurisdictions in which it is envisaged to be applied.
A standard should, to the extent practicable, be inclusive of the needs of the range of individuals who
might be affected by the use of the standard (see also 9.3.1).
9.2 Relationship with the law

Standards are always subordinate to the law. It is important that they are drafted in such a way as to
avoid any confusion between the provisions of a standard and requirements imposed by law.
Other than in exceptional circumstances, it is not acceptable for standards to contain provisions that
are already requirements imposed by law, nor to contain any statement recommending or requiring
compliance with the law. It is also not advisable to quote legislation, and no attempt should be made
to offer any interpretation of the law. Advice should be sought from BSI if circumstances arise where
this appears to be necessary.
Reference to particular legislation is permissible where it is relevant and potentially helpful in
applying the standard. Where such legislation has national variants (e.g. in England, Scotland, Wales
and Northern Ireland), all of the national variants should be included in the reference. Lengthy
lists of legislation should be avoided as there is a risk that the user might believe any such list to be
de�initive and exhaustive. Any reference to legislation might become out of date during the lifespan
of the standard, and no reliance can be placed on it as being a de�initive statement of a user’s legal
responsibilities or potential liabilities.

Particularly for the purpose of preventing anticompetitive effects or impeding innovation [see 9.1f)],
whenever possible, provisions are expressed in terms of performance rather than design or
descriptive characteristics.
NOTE A more detailed discussion of this principle appears in the respective drafting rules (see 9.3.1).
9.3 Drafting
9.3.1 Drafting rules
The fundamental reference point for the drafting of all British Standards, of whatever origin, is the
ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 [N1].
International standards are drafted in accordance with an unmodi�ied version of the ISO/
IEC Directives, Part 2 [N1].
European standards are drafted in accordance with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations,
Part 3 [N4]. This is a modi�ied version of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2, for use in Europe.
British Standards of UK origin are drafted in accordance with the BSI Rules for the structure and
drafting of UK standards [N5]. This is a modi�ied version of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2, for
use in the UK.
NOTE 1 A guide to the process of developing a British Standard of UK origin [4] is published by BSI. The advice it
contains is likely also to be of value to those involved in drafting international and European standards.
NOTE 2 When developing standards, committees are encouraged to refer to the ISO/IEC and CEN/CENELEC
guides for standards makers, including ISO Guide 82, ISO Guide 84, ISO/IEC Guide 17, ISO/IEC Guide 71 and
CEN/CENELEC Guide 6. A more comprehensive list can be found on the BSI website at https://www.bsigroup.com/
en-GB/standards/Information-about-standards/how-are-standards-made/The-BSI-Guide-to-Standardization/.
9.3.2 Language
Many standards, in dealing with highly specialized topics and addressing a very specialist readership,
might necessarily use technical language not readily understood by non-specialists. Nonetheless,
every effort has to be made to keep the tone of a standard clear, direct and free of jargon, and its
structure intuitive to its intended users.
Most British Standards are originally drafted in English. However, given the wider context in which
these standards are developed and used, most of them are also likely to be translated into other
languages. It is very important to guard against the possibility of mistranslation, or the introduction
of ambiguities, deliberate or accidental.
9.3.3 Scope statement

The draft scope statement for a standard is expected to be developed prior to the formal project
approval stage (see 5.2). Most projects are accepted onto the work programme on the basis of the
scope statement submitted at the time, and subsequent changes to the principles of the scope will
rarely be permitted without re-evaluation of the project.
The scope statement is an essential part of the early stage of the development of a standard, de�ining
both the scope of the document and also the scope of the project to develop it.
The scope is a de�initive statement of the type of standard (see 9.4.1), the subject being standardized,
and its application. It should also indicate subject matter that a user might expect to be included but
which is in fact excluded, and, where possible, direct users to where such subject matter is covered.
Whilst the scope statement should be short and succinct, it is important that it is worded to take
into account the implications of the standard for its users, particularly in respect of the factors listed
in 9.1, items a), f) and g).

9.4 Types of standardization publication

9.4.1 British Standards
British Standards (see 4.1.3 for a discussion of their de�ining characteristics) usually �it into one of
the following types.
• A speci�ication gives a coherent set of absolute requirements, each objectively veri�iable.
The result is a non-negotiable set of criteria for products, materials, services, processes or
systems. It is particularly suited to giving the performance criteria demanded of a product, or the
fundamental elements of a service or management system.
• A management systems standard provides a model to follow when setting up and operating
a management system. It is usually written in the style of a speci�ication. All international
management system standards use the structure given in Annex SL in the Consolidated
Supplement to the ISO Directives [5]. National management system standards should use this
structure whenever possible, to align with international standards.
• A code of practice contains recommendations and supporting guidance, where the
recommendations relevant to a given user have to be met in order to support a claim of
compliance. Users may also justify substitution of any of the recommendations in a code of
practice with practices of equivalent or better outcome. Depending on the context and �ield of
application, a code of practice usually re�lects current good practice as employed by competent
and conscientious practitioners.
• A guide primarily contains information and guidance. It may also include recommendations
where appropriate, but these are generally of a nature that would not support reliable claims
of compliance.
• A method of test provides repeatable and reproducible procedures with consistent outcomes for
the assessment of material, product or process performance.
• A method of specifying gives characteristics of a material, product, process or system so that a
customer can select the values needed before agreement with a supplier.
• A vocabulary is a compendium of terms and de�initions, which helps harmonize the use of
language within a given sector, �ield or discipline.
• A classi�ication is an ordering of items or grading system for use across a given sector, �ield
or discipline.
For standards of international and European origin, speci�ications, methods and vocabularies are the
predominant models and less prescriptive standards are less common.
9.4.2 Non-standards publications

BSI, as the UK NSB, publishes other standardization documents that share many of the characteristics
of a British Standard, but which do not qualify for that status (see 4.2.1).
Conversion of such a document to a British Standard requires the full consensus-building and public
consultation processes associated with that status (see 4.1.3).

9.5 Intellectual property rights (IPR)

9.5.1 Principles
There are two categories of intellectual property rights that are relevant to BSI standards and
publications:
a) IPR in the wording, drawings, data and other content of the standards themselves, e.g.
copyright (content IPR). This content IPR should be owned by BSI to enable proper publication,
distribution and licensing of the standards; and
b) IPRs that might exist in the products, methods, processes and technologies described in the
standards, e.g. patents (product/process IPR). BSI’s policy is to ensure that, to the extent
possible, standards do not require the use of third-party product/process IPR, so as to facilitate
widespread and easy adoption of standards in the relevant sectors.
For international and European standards, the rules and procedures of the relevant international and
European body that govern the inclusion of intellectual property apply.
9.5.2 Ownership of content IPR

The collaborative work of the committee leads to the creation of new content IPR. All contributors
(including committee members and panel members) agree that all content IPR in contributions
made by each contributor belongs to BSI and, to the extent required to achieve this, each
contributor assigns to BSI (on their own behalf and on behalf of their employer) all such content
IPR. In exceptional circumstances, BSI may, at its sole discretion, agree to an alternative form of
transfer of IPR.
Contributors agree not to contribute content in which third parties own content IPR.
Contributors are expected to waive all moral rights (or similar rights) in their contributions and to
agree that their contribution may be used without referencing the contributor’s name.
9.5.3 Use of content IPR

Committee members and panel members are entitled to use content IPR and other relevant content
published and owned by BSI as part of the standards-making process and in accordance with
BSI policies.
Use of BSI’s content IPR by committee members and panel members outside the scope of the
standards-making process requires approval by BSI and might entail payment of a fee.
9.5.4 Product/process IPR
9.5.4.1 General
BSI’s policy is to ensure that, to the extent possible, standards do not require the use of third-party
product/process IPR, so as to facilitate widespread and free adoption of standards in the
relevant sectors.
9.5.4.2 Good faith disclosure obligation

Committee members are expected to use reasonable endeavours to inform the responsible committee
in good time if either of the following come to their notice:
a) any product/process IPR that appears to be relevant to the standard under development; and/or
b) any claim that product/process IPR is applicable to a standard, whether published or still under
development.

This includes, in each case, product/process IPR in which committee members, or their employer, or
any other entity with which they have a link, might have an interest.
9.5.4.3 Formal calls for disclosure

A formal call to identify all product/process IPR will be made at the following stages during the
development of each standard:
a) when a new work item is publicly announced;
b) before a draft standard is released for public comment; and
c) during, or immediately prior to, the �inal approval process of the standard.
9.5.4.4 Disclosed product/process IPR

Committee members should endeavour to ensure that standards do not include any product/process
IPR to the extent reasonably possible.
If this is not possible, committee members should liaise with any third party owning such product/
process IPR to agree terms on which such product/process IPR may be used by users of the standard.
These should:
a) be the least restrictive licensing terms possible;
b) be made available to all users of the standard on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory
(FRAND) terms; and
c) ensure that any entity to which the IPR holder transfers its IPR is similarly bound by
this commitment.
A note drawing attention to any product/process IPR included in a standard will be included at the
appropriate point in the published standard.
If any third-party IPR holder is unwilling to provide this commitment, the committee will assess the
appropriate action to be taken. This includes reviewing the standard to see if it can be rewritten so as
not to require use of such product/process IPR.
BSI itself does not perform any check on the existence, status or validity of any product/process IPR,
and accepts no liability for inclusion or omission of such IPR in a standard.

Bibliography
Standards publications
For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the
referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
BS EN ISO 9000:2015, Quality management systems – Fundamentals and vocabulary
BS ISO 26000:2010, Guidance on social responsibility
BSI Flex 0, Principles of BSI Flex standardization
CEN/CENELEC Guide 6, Guide for addressing accessibility in standards
ISO Guide 82, Guidelines for addressing sustainability in standards
ISO Guide 84, Guidelines for addressing climate change in standards
ISO/IEC Guide 2:2004, Standardization and related activities – General vocabulary
ISO/IEC Guide 17, Guide for writing standards taking into account the needs of micro, small and
medium-sized enterprises
ISO/IEC Guide 71, Guide for addressing accessibility in standards
PAS 0, Principles of PAS standardization
Other publications
[1] EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES. 1025/2012. Regulation (EU) No. 1025/2012 of the European
Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on European standardisation, amending
Council Directives 89/686/EEC and 93/15/EEC and Directives 94/9/EC, 94/25/EC, 95/16/
EC, 97/23/EC, 98/34/EC, 2004/22/EC, 2007/23/EC, 2009/23/EC and 2009/105/EC of
the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Council Decision 87/95/EEC and
Decision No 1673/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council Text with EEA
relevance. Luxembourg: Of�ice for Of�icial Publications of the European Communities, 2012.
[2] WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION. Agreement on technical barriers to trade. Geneva: WTO.7)
[3] INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATION (ISO). Procedures for the technical
work. ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. Geneva: ISO, 2016.8)
[4] BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION. Drafting a British Standard – Working with your content
developer. London: BSI, 2015.9)
[5] INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATION (ISO). Procedures speci�ic to ISO.
ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1 – Consolidated ISO Supplement. Geneva: ISO, 2018.8)
7)
Available at www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tbt_e/tbt_e.htm.
8)
Available at www.ISO.org/directives.
9)
Available at www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/standards/Information-about-standards/how-are-standards-made/The-BSI-Guide-to-
Standardization. Undergoing revision at the time of publication of this edition of BS 0, to be republished under the title Drafting a British
Standard – Working with your editorial project manager.

Index
abstentions, 7.5.3 British Standard of UK origin
access to committee documents, 4.4, 4.5 de�inition, 3.1.2
accountability, 4.4, 7.5.4 development process, 5.7
adherence to BS 0, 4.1.6 drafting, 9.3
adoption of international/European standards, 5.3, 5.4, roles and responsibilities, 8.7

6.1.2
BSI Board, 3.1.3, 6.1.4
agendas, 7.5.2, 8.6
BSI employees, 7.7, 8.2, 8.6, 8.7.3
amendments, 5.8, 6.2.2
BSI Flex, 4.2.1
Annex SL, 9.4.1
BSI policies, 4.1.6, 4.4, 6.1.2, 7.3, 8.1, 8.3, 8.6, 9.5.1, 9.5.3,
announcement of new work, 5.2 9.5.4.1
application of standards, 4.3 BSI Rules for the structure and drafting of UK standards,
9.3.1
interpretation, 4.3.2
principles, 4.3.1
cancellation of projects, 7.5.3
appointment of committee chairs, 8.5.3
CEN, 4.2.1, 5.1, 5.4, 5.5.1, 6.1.2
approval process
CENELEC, 4.2.1, 5.1, 5.4, 5.5.1, 6.1.2
international/European, 5.5.4, 6.1.4
CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, 5.4, 5.5.4, 9.3.1
national, 5.7, 6.1.4
certi�ication schemes, 4.3.3.2
new work, 5.2
chairs
assessment see conformity
appointment, 8.5.3
attendance at meetings, 7.5.2, 8.3, 8.7.1
de�inition, 3.1.4
audience see users of standards
qualities, 8.5.2
authority of standards, 4.1.5
removal, 8.3, 8.5.3
roles and responsibilities, 7.5.2, 7.5.3, 7.7, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5.1,

balance of interests, 7.1, 7.2
8.5.2
barriers to trade, 4.1.2, 9.1, 9.2
terms served, 8.5.3
bias, avoiding, 7.10, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5.1
see also panel convenors
British Standard
characteristics
authority, 4.1.5
of speci�ic types of standard, 9.4.1
characteristics, 4.1.3, 7.1
of standards in general, 4.1.3, 7.1
de�inition, 3.1.1
claims of compliance see compliance
principles of development, 5.1
classi�ication, characteristics, 9.4.1
principles of publication, 6.1.1
code of practice, characteristics, 9.4.1
reliability, 4.1.5
comment resolution process
types, 9.4.1
international/European, 5.5.3
voluntary status, 4.1.4
national, 5.8
see also British Standard of UK origin

comment stage see draft for public comment false claims, 4.3.4
committee documents principles, 4.3.3.1
con�identiality, 4.4, 4.5, 7.9 with BS 0, 4.1.6
publicly available, 4.4 with legislation, 9.2
committees, Clause 7 conduct, 8.3
chairs, 8.5 con�identiality
conduct, 8.3 documents, 4.4, 4.5, 7.9
constitution, 7.2 identity of individuals, 4.4
de�inition, 3.1.5 meetings, 7.9
delegation of responsibility, 7.10 con�irmation of a standard, 6.2.2
diversity and inclusion, 7.2 con�lict
international/European, 5.5.1, 5.5.2 of interest, 3.1.9, 7.5.2, 7.6, 8.4
liaison, 7.11 with legislation, 5.6, 9.2
meetings, 7.5.2, 7.6 with other standards, 5.2, 5.4, 6.2.3
membership, 7.2 con�licting national standard, 3.1.10, 5.4
nominating organizations, 7.2, 7.3, 7.5.2, 8.3 conformity
principles, 7.1 assessment, 4.3.3.1, 4.3.3.2
quorum, 7.5.2 attestation, 4.3.3.1, 5.8, 9.1
terms of reference, 7.1 de�inition, 3.1.11
see also chairs, committee managers, committee consensus

members, subcommittee, technical committees
as de�ining characteristic of standards development,
committee chairs see chairs 4.1.3
committee managers, 7.5.2, 7.5.3, 7.7, 8.6, 8.7.3 de�inition, 3.1.12
committee members failure of, 7.5.3, 7.7
conduct, 8.3 international/European, 5.5.3, 7.5.3
co-opted, 7.4, 7.5.2, 7.5.4, 8.4 national, 5.7
criteria for membership, 7.2 principles, 7.5.3
de�inition, 3.1.6 responsibility of committee members, 8.3
protection of identity, 4.4 constitution of committees, 7.2
roles and responsibilities, 8.3, 8.4, 9.5.2, 9.5.4.2 consultation
committee secretaries see committee managers as de�ining characteristic of standards development,

4.1.3
common modi�ication, 3.1.7, 5.4
as part of review process, 6.2.2
communication, 7.9
with national bodies, 5.5.3
compliance
see also draft for public comment
claims/declarations, 4.3.3, 9.1, 9.4.1
consumer
de�inition, 3.1.8
de�inition, 3.1.13

protection, 4.1.2 duty of care, 8.4
representation on committees, 7.3
content IPR, 9.5.1, 9.5.2, 9.5.3 editorial project managers, 8.7.3
content of standards, Clause 9 enquiry, 3.1.18, 5.5.3, 5.5.4, 5.6
context of standardization, 4.1.1 enquiry draft see draft for public comment
convenor see panel convenor errors, correction of, 4.3.2, 6.2.1, 6.2.2
co-opted members, 7.4, 7.5.2, 7.5.4, 8.4, 8.7.1 ETSI, 4.2.1
copyright, 6.2.3, 9.5.1 Eurocodes, 6.1.3
see also intellectual property rights European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
see CENELEC
correction of errors, see corrigenda
European Committee for Standardization see CEN
corrigenda, 6.2.1, 6.2.2
European standardization, 3.1.19, 4.2.1, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 7.5.4,
8.3, 9.5.1
decimal marker, Foreword
see also CEN, CENELEC
decision making, 7.5
European Telecommunications Standards Institute see
balance, 7.2 ETSI
BSI employees, 8.2 experts, 3.1.20, 5.5.2, 5.6, 7.2, 7.4, 7.5.4, 8.4, 8.7.1
consensus, 7.5.3 external communications, 7.9
meetings, 7.5.2 failure of consensus, 7.5.3, 7.7

principles, 7.5.1 false claims of compliance, 4.3.4
declaration see compliance, con�lict of interest, intellectual �inal approval see approval process
property rights
foreword, national, 6.1.3
delegates, 3.1.15, 5.6, 7.5.4
formal vote, 3.1.21
delegation of responsibilities, 7.10
see also approval process
deputy chairs, 8.5.3
format of standards, 6.1.1
development of standards, 4.1.6, 4.2.1, Clause 5
disclosure
government representation on committees, 7.3
of documents to nominating organizations, 4.5
guide, characteristics, 9.4.1
of IPR, 9.5.4
disputes, 5.5.1, 5.5.2, 5.7, 7.1, 7.5.3, 7.7, 8.7.1

IEC, 4.2.1, 5.1, 5.3, 5.5.1, 6.1.2
diversity, 7.2, 7.3, 8.5.2, 8.6
inclusion, 4.1.2, 7.2, 9.1
drafts, 3.1.16, 5.5.3, 7.9
informative
see also draft for public comment
draft for public comment, 3.1.17, 5.5.3, 5.6, 5.8
status of national forewords/annexes, 6.1.3
drafting panels see panels
intellectual property rights, 3.1.24, 8.7.1, 9.5
drafting rules, 9.3.1
see also content IPR, product/process IPR
drafting standards, 4.3.1, Clause 9
International Electrotechnical Commission see IEC

international standardization, 3.1.23, 4.2.1, 5.3, 5.5, 5.6, method of test, characteristics, 9.4.1
7.5.3, 7.5.4, 8.3, 9.5.1
minutes of meetings, 7.6, 7.9
see also IEC, ISO
mirror committees, 5.6, 6.1.3, 7.5.4
International Standards Organization see ISO
interpretation
national annex, 6.1.3
of legislation, 9.2
national foreword, 6.1.3
of standards, 4.3.2
national standard see British Standard of UK origin
IPR see intellectual property rights
National Standards Body, 4.2, 5.3, 8.1, 9.4.2
ISO, 4.2.1, 5.1, 5.3, 5.5.1, 6.1.2
national votes
ISO/IEC Directives, 4.3.3.1, 5.3, 5.5, 9.3.1
in the event of a dispute, 7.5.3
on draft international/European standards, 5.5.3, 5.5.4,

language, 9.3.2 5.6
legal considerations, Foreword, 4.1.5, 5.6, 7.5.3, 7.8, 7.9, 9.2 on new work, 5.2
see also regulation, regulatory instruments new editions, 6.2.2
liaison new work, 5.2
between committee members and nomination nominating organizations, 3.1.25, 4.5, 7.2, 7.3, 7.5.2
organizations, 7.3
see also resourcing
between committees members and third parties owning
non-standards publications, 4.2.1, 9.4.2
IPR, 9.5.4.4
non-voting committee members, 7.2
between committees, 7.11
normative, de�inition, 3.1.26
normative references, 3.1.27, Clause 2

maintenance of standards, 4.3.2, 6.2
NSB see National Standards Body
management systems standard, characteristics, 9.4.1
market demand, 5.2

objections, 7.5.3, 8.7.1
market relevance, 6.2.2
see also disputes
market surveillance, 4.3.4
meetings, 7.5.2
panels, 3.1.28, 7.6, 7.10, 8.7.1
attendance, 7.2, 8.3, 8.7.1
see also panel convenors, panel members, working
chair’s responsibilities, 8.5.1, 8.5.2
groups
committee manager’s responsibilities, 8.6
panel convenors, 8.7.2
con�identiality, 7.9
panel members, 3.1.29, 8.7.1
international/European, 7.5.4
PAS, 4.2.1
minutes, 7.6, 7.9
patents, 9.5.1
quorum, 7.5.2, 8.7.1
policies see BSI policies
member bodies, 5.5.1, 5.6
principles
membership see committee members
application of standards, 4.3.1
Memorandum of Understanding, 4.2.1
claims of compliance and conformity, 4.3.3
method of specifying, characteristics, 9.4.1
committees, 7.1

consensus, 7.5.3 resourcing
decision making, 7.5.1 by BSI, 4.2.2, 4.3.4, 5.2, 5.7, 7.5.2
development of standards, 5.1 by nominating organizations, 5.2, 5.6, 6.2.2, 7.3, 7.5.2,
7.5.4
drafting, 9.1
responsibilities see roles and responsibilities
intellectual property rights, 9.5.1
responsibility
maintenance, 6.2.1
for application of a standard, 4.3.1
publication, 6.1.1
for claims of compliance, 4.3.3.1
standardization, Clause 4
for development of a standard, 4.2.1
third-party conformity assessment, 4.3.3.2
for interpreting a standard, 4.3.2
privacy of meetings, 7.9
for reviewing a standard, 6.2.2
product/process IPR, 9.5.1, 9.5.4
restricted access to documents, 4.4
proposal for new work, 5.2
review of standards, 6.2.1, 6.2.2
provisions of a standard, 3.1.30, 9.1, 9.2, 9.4.1
revision of standards, 6.2.2
public consultation see consultation, draft for public
comment roles and responsibilities
public policy, 4.1.2 BSI, 4.2.1, 7.1, 8.1
public statements, 7.9 BSI employees, 7.7, 8.2, 8.3
publication process, 6.1 committee chairs, 7.5.2, 7.5.3, 7.7, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5
publicly available committee documents, 4.4 committee managers, 7.5.2, 7.5.3, 7.7, 8.3, 8.6, 8.7.3
Published Document, 4.2.1 committee members, 8.3, 8.4, 9.5.2, 9.5.4.2
publishing standards, Clause 6 delegations to international/European meetings, 7.5.4
purpose of standardization, 4.1.2 editorial project managers, 8.3, 8.7.3
panel convenors, 8.3, 8.7.2
qualities of a committee chair, 8.5.2 panel members, 8.3, 8.7.1
quorum Royal Charter, 4.2.1, 6.1.4
committee, 7.5.2
panel, 8.7.1 scope statement, 5.2, 9.3.3
secretaries see committee managers
readership, 9.3.2 speci�ication, characteristics, 9.4.1
recommendations, 9.4.1 spelling convention, Foreword
regional standardization see European standardization SPSC see Standards Policy and Strategy Committee
regulation, 3.1.31, 4.1.2, 7.8 stakeholder categories, 7.3
see also legal considerations standard, de�inition, 3.1.32
regulatory instruments, 4.1.4 standardization
reliability of standards, 4.1.5 characteristics, 4.1.3
removal of committee members, 8.3, 8.5.3 context, 4.1.1
requirements, 9.2, 9.4.1 de�inition, 3.1.33

principles, Clause 4 transparency, 4.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.5.1, 7.9
purpose, 4.1.2 types of standard, 9.4
standard of UK origin see British Standard of UK origin
standards development see development of standards UK national standard see British Standard of UK origin
Standards Policy and Strategy Committee, 3.1.34, 4.3.3.2, UK mirror committee see mirror committees
7.1, 7.5.3, 8.5.3
UK participation in international/European
status standardization, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 6.1.2, 7.5.4
of “British Standard”, 6.1.4, 6.2.3 use of standards content, 9.5.3
of BS 0, 4.1.6 users of standards
of national annexes/forewords, 6.1.3 availability of IPR, 9.5.4.4
of standards generally, 4.1.4 implications of scope statement, 9.3.3
statutory requirements see legal considerations interests represented, 7.2
subcommittees, 3.1.5.2, 5.5.2, 7.10 legal responsibilities, Foreword, 9.2
see also committees responsibility for interpreting a standard, 4.3.2
suspension of committee members, 8.3 responsibility for selecting and applying a standard,
4.3.1
technical authors, 7.10

veri�iability, 9.1, 9.4.1
technical committees, 3.1.5.1, 5.5.1, 7.10
vocabulary, characteristics, 9.4.1
see also committees
voluntary status of standards, 4.1.4
Technical Report, 3.1.35, 4.2.1
vote, de�inition, 3.1.37
Technical Speci�ication, 3.1.36, 4.2.1
see also national votes
terms of reference, 7.1, 7.3
test method see method of test

withdrawn standards, 6.2.2, 6.2.3
third party
working groups, 3.1.38, 5.5.2, 5.6, 7.5.4, 7.6
conformity assessment, 4.3.3.2
see also panels
intellectual property rights, 8.7.1, 9.5.1, 9.5.2, 9.5.4
work item, 3.1.39, 5.2, 5.5.3, 9.5.4.3
timescales
work programme, 3.1.40, 4.2.2, 4.4, 5.2, 5.5.1, 7.1, 7.4, 9.3.3
correction of errors, 6.2.1
World Trade Organization, 5.3, 5.8
development of standards, 5.2, 8.7.2, 8.7.3
disputes, 7.7
draft for public comment, 5.8
review of standards, 6.2.1
terms served by chairs, 8.5.3
training, 8.1
transition period for withdrawn standards, 6.2.3
translation of standards, 9.3.2

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BSI Standards Publication

A standard for standards — Principles of

Publishing and copyright information

© The British Standards Institution 2021

Published by BSI Standards Limited 2021

ISBN 978 0 539 13467 4

The following BSI references relate to the work on this document:

Amendments/corrigenda issued since publication

Date Text affected

© THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION 2021 – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

© THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION 2021 – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED I

9.5 Intellectual property rights (IPR) 32

II © THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION 2021 – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Information about this document

© THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION 2021 – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED III

Contractual and legal considerations

IV © THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION 2021 – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

3 Terms, de�initions and abbreviated terms

3.1.1 British Standard (BS)

3.1.2 British Standard of UK origin

© THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION 2021 – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1

3.1.3 BSI Board

3.1.5.1 technical committee (TC)

3.1.5.2 subcommittee (SC)

3.1.6 committee member

3.1.7 common modi�ication

3.1.9 con�lict of interest

3.1.10 con�licting national standard

2 © THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION 2021 – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC Guide 2:2004, 1.7]

3.1.14 decision making process

3.1.15 delegate (n.)

3.1.17 draft for public comment (DPC)

3.1.19 European standard (EN)

NOTE 3 European standards are adopted in the UK as BS ENs.

© THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION 2021 – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3

3.1.21 formal vote

3.1.23 international standard

3.1.24 intellectual property rights (IPR)

3.1.25 nominating organization

3.1.27 normative reference

3.1.29 panel member

4 © THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION 2021 – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC Guide 2:2004, 3.2]

[SOURCE: ISO/IEC Guide 2:2004, 1.1]

3.1.34 Standards Policy and Strategy Committee (SPSC)

3.1.35 Technical Report (TR)

3.1.36 Technical Speci�ication (TS)

3.1.38 working group (WG)

3.1.39 work item (WI)

© THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION 2021 – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 5

3.1.40 work programme

3.2 Abbreviated terms

BSI British Standards Institution

CEN European Committee for Standardization

CENELEC European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization

DPC draft for public comment

ETSI European Telecommunications Standards Institute

IEC International Electrotechnical Commission