The Ministry of Industry and Tourism has coordinated the annual meeting of the main bodies from the Spanish quality infrastructure —the Spanish Association for Standardization (UNE), the Spanish Metrology Centre (CEM), and the National Accreditation Body (ENAC) — with the aim of advancing new projects that strengthen this key system for competitiveness and industrial safety.

During the meeting, the progress of the collaboration protocol was reviewed that was signed in 2023, highlighting visibility and outreach actions and the creation of a new news section on the official website.

Among the priorities for the coming months, it was agreed to strengthen quality infrastructure as a support for the Spanish Artificial Intelligence Strategy, develop training and support materials for companies and administrations, and update the Guide for using standards and accreditation in public procurement.

In addition,  ‘The Economic Impact of Standardization in Spain’ report prepared by the Centre for Industrial Strategy and Foresight (CEPI), was presented. It concludes that standardization has contributed 14.7% to the annual growth of Spain's GDP, equivalent to more than 140 billion euros over 40 years, placing Spain among the leading countries in this area.

Spanish quality infrastructure

The quality infrastructure is the ecosystem of public and private organizations that, together with the corresponding legal and regulatory framework, establish and implement standardization, accreditation, metrology, and conformity assessment activities (testing, inspection, certification, and validation and verification, among others), organizations that play a critical role in generating confidence in the quality and safety of Spanish products and services.

Thereby, this infrastructure is one of the key levers for future economic and social growth, contributing to both public and private objectives in areas such as industrial and technological development, competitiveness in global markets, efficient use of resources, food security, health, and environmental protection, among others; and its benefits extend not only to companies, organizations, and institutions, but also to consumers and society in general who make use of the products and services.

What are the pillars of quality infrastructure in Spain?

In our country, the national quality infrastructure is made up of three institutions: the Spanish Centre for Metrology (CEM), the national standardization body (UNE, Spanish Association for Standardization) and the national accreditation body (ENAC), along with activities carried out by conformity assessors. Likewise, the General State Administration, the Autonomous Communities, Municipalities, and their policies and regulations are also key elements in the quality infrastructure.

Find further information on the Spanish Quality Infrastructure website