scope:

This Guide complements - and should be read in conjunction with - CEN-CENELEC Guide 20 "Guide on membership criteria of CEN and CENELEC". This Guide follows the decisions of the CEN and CENELEC General Assemblies in October 2012 on the document "CEN-CENELEC organizational structure and processes for Peer assessment, Self-assessment and Self-assessment integrated with EN ISO 9001 audit". Within the same context, the CEN and CENELEC Assemblies also invited their Members to run an assessment exercise during the period from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2015 and to choose among the following three options of assessment: - A "Self-assessment exercise" - B "Self-assessment exercise integrated with the ISO 9001 certification" - C "Peer assessment exercise" Furthermore, the CEN and CENELEC Members have to indicate before 31 December 2015 which option they will adopt as assessment practice (between only B or C) from 1 January 2016 onwards. With this background in mind, the present Guide was created to illustrate the organizational model implementing the management of the exercises of self-/peer assessment of the Criteria laid down in CEN-CENELEC Guide 20, as well as their reports and follow-up of actions. The agreed organizational model aims at building trust and accountability of the CEN-CENELEC system, while ensuring efficient and effective management. Indeed, the implementation of such an assessment system replies to the ambitious goal of "excellence" embedded in the provisions of the CEN-CENELEC Guide 20 on Membership Criteria. The assessment exercises are indeed handled under the supervision of a recognized super partes Chair and by competent assessors, be they independent from the Member assessed (e.g. in case of peer assessment) or within the same Member (self-assessment). The blend of competence and independence of judgment of the Chair and assessors and effective and efficient processes of follow-up actions will ensure the integrity of the CEN-CENELEC assessment system and the recognition of those CEN and CENELEC stakeholders closely linked to - and benefiting from - standardization.