During the year, a series of provisions were definitively approved by the European Union aiming for the harmonisation of the accreditation systems existing in the individual Member States and the coordination of the actions which each State should implement to assure greater supervision of the market. Two EC regulations and a Decision of the European Parliament and the Council of Europe identify a more uniform and rigorous system to more appropriately support the new demands of the regulatory authorities and the market itself. Among other provisions, the regulations requires Italy to commit to reorganising the accreditation system for the voluntary sector - currently managed by SINAL, SINCERT and SIT - in order to create a single national authority, with the necessary recognition by the European accreditation body and the Member State, by January 1st 2010. UNI is paying close attention to the timely application of this requirement, as a more effective accreditation, certification and control system can significantly contribute to the further valorisation of the role of standardisation. In this regard, UNI is closely collaborating to support the initiatives aiming to unify the accreditation bodies.

Again at European level, in its communication EU COM 133, the Commission highlighted the role of standardisation as a tool for promoting innovation - and therefore competitivity - in the field of sustainable industrial policies, in the "leading markets" (eHealth, green building, technical fabrics, recycling, renewable energies, biobased products), public contracts and ICT.
The European Commission’s DG Enterprise and Industry has established a high level consulting group to discuss some key issues in the field of standardisation (effectiveness, access, innovation, globalisation, funding, legal framework) leading to the review of the "basic" directives. Having to deal with these new scenarios, CEN and CENELEC have already begun to assess the greatest synergies which can be obtained in order to provide a more appropriate framework for European standardisation to be able to face up to the challenges of the future.

At global level, the ISO Assembly has defined a new structure of its internal bodies, expanding the Council and the Technical Management Board, in order to allow China to become a permanent member and to offer greater space for developing countries.
UNI was the promoter of a specific resolution, approved unanimously, concerning the assessment of a further expansion of the Council and the TMB as part of the ISO 2011-2015 strategic plan.
The key issues of the ISO 2011-2015 plan, which authorities and business representatives will start focussing on during 2009, concern new areas of standardisation, management systems, relations with conformity assessment, international partnerships, stakeholder engagement, the support of the Public Administration, relations with developing countries, communication and training activities, processes and products of standardisation, and the role of the ISO Central Secretariat.

In 2008 the new Council was elected for a three years term. Beside the members "by right" (representatives of the Federated Bodies, of the national research institute CNR, of the national railways service FS, of the Central Technical Commission, the President of CEI), it is formed by the representatives of the confederation of Italian industry Confindustria and the workers compensation and protection authority INAIL. The following ministries joined the Council: Defense; Education, university and research; Labour, health and welfare; Communications; Environment; Interior; Infrastructure, transportation and public procurement; Foreign affairs. Piero Torretta was confirmed in his appointment as President.