Standards

The European Committee for Standardization, better known by its acronym CEN, is a regulatory body whose purpose is to harmonize and produce European technical standards (ENs = plural European Norms; EN = singular European Norm) in collaboration with national and supranational regulatory bodies such as ISO.

European Certification is mandatory for all products entering commerce in Europe.

The Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme (UIAA), International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation in English, is the international organization that brings together dozens of national mountain sports federations and represents them at the International Olympic Committee.

UIAA certification is voluntary and is the first specifically designed for mountain equipment.