SFS in brief
SFS standards are mentioned in our Webshop.
Standardization is voluntary co-operation to find solutions that can be applied repeatedly to problems, especially in the spheres of science, technology and economics.
Standardization is carried out at international, regional, national and company levels.
The Finnish Standards Association SFS is an independent, non-profit making organization co-operating with trade federations and industry, research institutes, labour market organizations, consumer organizations, and governmental and local authorities. Members of SFS include professional, commercial and industrial organizations, and the state of Finland represented by the ministries.
FINNISH STANDARDS ASSOCIATION SFS
SFS Standards
SFS Standards are voluntary documents. SFS and its standards-writing bodies co-ordinate the national standardization work. The total number of SFS Standards amounts to over 20 000. All SFS Standards are mentioned in the annual bilingual (Finnish and English) SFS Catalogue, which is in the www-pages of SFS continuously up-dated. SFS Standards are mainly originally drawn up by CEN, CENELEC, ISO, IEC and ETSI.
SFS standards can be downloaded from the on line shop of SFS. The internet address of the shop is http://sales.sfs.fi
European obligation
The Finnish Standards Association SFS and its standards-writing bodies, the SESKO (Electrotechnical Standardization in Finland) and the Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority are members of the European standards organizations CEN, CENELEC and ETSI.
The membership implies obligation to implement all European standards as SFS standards within six months, when the organization concerned has approved the European standard.
Information on Standards
SFS promotes the use of standards in Finland by giving information on international, foreign and Finnish standards and drafts. The WTO Enquiry Point has operated at SFS by mandate of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy since 1980.
Distribution of Standards
National SFS Standards are sold in Finland only by SFS. Distribution of SFS standards abroad is handled by national ISO member bodies.
SFS is the Finnish source for all international standards and drafts of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), for European standards and drafts of CEN and for publications of ISO member bodies. SFS also distributes other foreign standards and technical regulations.
Ecolabelling
SFS runs the Finnish ecolabelling body which is part of the joint Nordic environmental labelling program. The main purpose of the program is to guide consumers in selecting products that will be less harmful to the environment than alternative products available. Another target of the program is to stimulate companies to develop products and production methods that will have less hazardous impacts on the environment. More information in English is available from SIS Ecolabelling, Sweden.
SFS also administers the European Union eco label system in Finland. The aim of the system is to promote development, manufacture, marketing and use of products which place less load on the environment. More information in English is available from European Commission, Environment.
PowerPoint presentation of SFS.
Finnish Standards Association SFS
Malminkatu 34, P.O. Box 130
FI-00101 HELSINKI
FINLAND
E-mail sfs@sfs.fi
Tel. int. +358 9 149 9331
Telefax int. +358 9 146 4925
