DKE Calls for Participation on World Standards Day

Before a standard is published, it can be reviewed, commented on, and improved by experts. On World Standards Day, October 14, the DKE at the VDE calls on the public to actively take advantage of this opportunity and participate in standardization.

(Frankfurt am Main, October 14, 2026) Standardization thrives on participation—including from experts who are not members of a standards committee. The German Commission for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies (DKE), supported by the VDE, highlights this on the occasion of World Standards Day on October 14. “The most important moment in the life of a standard is when it is not yet a standard,” says Michael Teigeler, DKE’s Managing Director for International Affairs. “This is because practical experience, expert knowledge, and potential objections should be incorporated before the draft becomes a binding standard.”

Every comment is reviewed

Michael Teigeler, DKE’s Managing Director for International Affairs

| Sarah Kastner / VDE

Teigeler therefore calls for participation, for example during the public comment period. Every draft standard is published and can be reviewed by the professional community. Anyone who identifies room for improvement can submit a technically substantiated comment—regardless of whether they are, for example, a member of a standards committee. Comments are evaluated based on their technical reasoning. “What matters is not who submits a proposal, but the technical value it adds,” says Teigeler. Every comment and every statement is reviewed—a transparent and rigorous process. “This openness is not a secondary aspect of the process,” says Teigeler. “It is one of its most important strengths.”

In practice, the process works as follows: New draft standards are published on the draft standards portal (in German). As a rule, there is then a four-month period to submit comments. These should be specifically worded and supported by technically sound reasoning. The comments are then discussed in the relevant DKE committee—the same body where the standard is being developed. In total, around 10,000 volunteer experts from companies, universities, government agencies, associations, institutes, and many other interested groups are involved in this process.

International standardization experts meet in Hamburg

Anyone involved in electrotechnical standardization today immediately recognizes its international dimension. Already, 85 percent of electrotechnical standards are based on international or European standards. For this reason, the DKE, as the German standards organization, is also active within CENELEC at the European level and the IEC at the international level. The IEC General Meeting, which will take place in Hamburg from November 16 to 21 and is organized by the DKE, also demonstrates just how international standardization has become. More information about the meeting, which is expected to draw up to 4,000 experts in electrical engineering standardization, is available here.

IEC General Meeting 2026

The DKE is honored to host the annual event for international electrotechnical standardization. Under the title “Global Development. Driven by Standards.”, around 3,500 guests are expected in Hamburg in November 2026.

Official Website

About DKE

The DKE German Commission for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies (DKE) is the national platform for about 10,000 experts from industry, science and public administration to elaborate standards and safety specifications for electrical engineering, electronics and information technology. Standards support global trade and, among other things, the safety, interoperability and functionality of products and systems. As a competence centre for electrotechnical standardization, the DKE represents the interests of German industry in European (CENELEC, ETSI) and international standardization organizations (IEC). In addition, the DKE provides comprehensive services in the field of standardization and VDE specifications.

For more information, visit www.dke.de

About VDE

VDE, one of the largest technology organizations in Europe, has been regarded as a synonym for innovation and technological progress for more than 130 years. VDE is the only organization in the world that combines science, standardization, testing, certification, and application consulting under one umbrella. The VDE mark has been synonymous with the highest safety standards and consumer protection for more than 100 years.

Our passion is the advancement of technology, the next generation of engineers and technologists, and lifelong learning and career development “on the job”. Within the VDE network more than 2,000 employees at over 60 locations worldwide, more than 100,000 honorary experts, and around 1,500 companies are dedicated to ensuring a future worth living: networked, digital, electrical.
Shaping the e-dialistic future.

The VDE (VDE Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies) is headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. For more information, visit www.vde.com