European Standardization Committee Research Articles

Towards harmonizing the NFRC and CEN window performance simulation methods

Studies have found that the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) methods produce different U-values for the same window resulting in confusion when comparing products. A comparative evaluation of the NFRC and CEN U-value calculation methods was conducted for North American residential high-performance window products with focus on the most influential parameters in determining the whole window U-value for high-performance windows. Using two-dimensional conduction simulation software, four North American high-performance frame types with double, triple, and quad glazing combinations were simulated and calculated according to the NFRC and CEN standard methods. Overall, the trend showed that for the specific window combinations of this study, the higher the performance of the insulated glazing unit (IGU), the lesser the differences in the whole window U-value of both methods. The results showed an overall difference of 1 to 11% in whole window U-value when using the NFRC and CEN standards, lower than other studies. Generally, the NFRC standard resulted in the lower U-value for each case. Recommendations for harmonization of the two standards include aligning boundary conditions, frame cavity models, and material conductivities.

Reliability evaluation of reinforced concrete columns designed by Eurocode for wind-dominated combination considering random loads eccentricity

With the capacity models in the 2004 edition of the European Committee for Standardization’s Standard Design of Concrete Structures, a more realistic limit state function is obtained for reinforced concrete columns with random loads eccentricity. Using this function, the applicability of the code-based design factors is discussed. Taking the wind-dominated combination as an example, the probabilistic distribution of loads eccentricity and the statistics of column resistance are analyzed for representative cases. The analysis indicates that the possible loads eccentricity is scattered over a large range, and the probabilistic model of column resistance varies from case to case, which is largely different from the resistance model assumed in previous reliability calibration. With Monte Carlo simulation, the column reliability and the contributions of both tension failure and compression failure to the total failure probability are calculated and obtained for different cases. The results show that the fixed loads eccentricity criterion underestimates differences in the reliability of columns for different loads eccentricity cases and overestimates the column reliability in some tension failure cases. Furthermore, it is found that the tension failure mode contributes most to the total failure probability for not only some columns designed to fail in tension failure but also for some columns designed to fail in compression failure. To attain a robust design, a group of optimum wind load factors varying with cases is recommended. The new calibration results prove that the recommended wind local factors can achieve a better goal.

The feasibility and optimization of biodiesel production from Celtis australis L. oil using chicken bone catalyst and ultrasonic waves

Biodiesel is a green renewable energy source and an alternative for diesel fuel. The objective of this research was to study the feasibility of biodiesel production from Celtis australis L. oil using an ultrasonic system and CaO derived from chicken bone as a biowaste renewable resource. In this research, the effects of some parameters such as the alcohol-to-oil molar ratio (6:1, 9:1, 12:1), the CaO catalyst concentration (3%, 5% and 7% w/w), and the reaction time using ultrasonication (10, 25, 40 min) on the rate of conversion of fatty acids to methyl ester (biodiesel) were studied. The results showed that by increasing the molar ratio into the range between 6:1 and 9:1, the conversion percentage first increased and then its value followed a fixed trend. By increasing the catalyst concentration to about 5%, the conversion percentage increased significantly, and then remained constant. By increasing the time from 10 to 25 min, the conversion percentage increased by 20.19%, but from 25 to 40 min, no significant difference was observed. Moreover, all of the properties of C. australis methyl ester were found to meet the requirements of EN 14214 (European Committee for Standardization) biodiesel standards.

Comprehensive analysis of municipal solid waste rejected fractions as a source of Refused Derived Fuel in developing countries (case study of Isfahan- Iran): Environmental Impact and sustainable development

Refused Derived Fuel (RDF) could be considered as an alternative energy source, which not only helps to improve waste management, but also effectively reduce energy consumption and environmental pollution in huge industries. In the present study, the potential of energy valorization of rejected streams of municipal solid waste (MSW) processed in Isfahan mechanical and biological treatment (MBT) plant is investigated through RDF production. Therefore, various physical and chemical analysis of mechanical treatment rejects (MTR) and composting rejects (CR), as two streams being currently landfilled, were carried out. The results show that, RDF produced from both of these two streams could be classified as net calorific value (NCV): 3, Cl: 1 and Hg: 1 according to the European committee for standardization (CEN standard). Considering the amount of produced RDF from these two streams in Isfahan (300 t/d from MTR and 120 t/d from CR) and their NCVs, about 2 million GJ/year would be saved. As a result, in many cities of developing countries with the same condition like Isfahan, MTR and CR can be used as sources of RDF production and alternative fuels in the cement industry.

Performance Evaluation of LC-MS Methods for Multimycotoxin Determination.

The co-occurrence of regulated mycotoxins in foods and feeds, together with modified ("masked") and emerging mycotoxins, has been increasingly reported worldwide in recent years. Therefore, sensitive, accurate, and validated methods for the simultaneous determination of these hazardous contaminants in different matrices are highly demanded to fulfil regulatory requirements and to carry out reliable surveillance programs. In these last years, LC-MS methodologies for multimycotoxin screening and/or quantification are being routinely used in control laboratories. However, to date, only one European Standard for multimycotoxin determination is based on LC-MS (EN 16877:2016). The need for standardized LC-MS methods for multimycotoxin determination has been highlighted by regulatory authorities and scientific advisory bodies, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Commission. The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) has issued calls for tender for the development of standardized LC-MS methods for mycotoxins in food and animal feeding stuffs. As deliverables, some LC-MS based methods for multimycotoxin determination are currently under approval as European Standards. In addition, the European Commission has recently established specific criteria with which screening methods for mycotoxins, including LC-MS methods, have to comply for use for regulatory purposes. Validation procedures by single-laboratory and collaborative trials have been defined. This paper provides insights and advances on guidelines and tools for performance evaluation of LC-MS methods intended for quantitative determination and for semiquantitative screening of multimycotoxins. In particular, performance criteria set in the European Union and the United States are critically overviewed, and expectations, needs, and future challenges relevant to LC-MS methods for multimycotoxin determination are also discussed.

General Principles to Justify Plant Biostimulant Claims.

The forthcoming European Union (EU) Fertilizing Products Regulation1 proposes a claim-based definition of plant biostimulants, stipulating that “plant biostimulant” means a product stimulating plant nutrition processes independently of the product’s nutrient content, with the aim of improving one or more of the following characteristics of the plant: nutrient use efficiency, tolerance to abiotic stress, crop quality traits or availability of confined nutrients in the soil and rhizosphere. The future regulation also specifies that a plant biostimulant “shall have the effects that are claimed on the label for the plants specified thereon.” This creates an onus for manufacturers to demonstrate to regulators and customers that product claims are justified. Consequently, the justification of the agronomic claim of a given plant biostimulant will be an important element to allow it to be placed on the EU market once this new European regulation is applied. In this article, members of the European Biostimulant Industry Council (EBIC) propose some general guiding principles to follow when justifying plant biostimulant claims, that are outlined in this article. These principles are expected to be incorporated into harmonized European standards that are being developed by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) to support the implementation of the regulation.

European design code for composite structures in steel and concrete

AbstractThe Eurocodes (EC) represent European norms (EN) for the design and construction of building and bridge structures. The development of these European design codes is carried out on behalf of the European Union (EU) by the ”European Committee for Standardization – CEN“. The Eurocodes have been in use for some years now. The motivation behind the development of the Eurocodes is the harmonization of the planning and design process for the structural components and construction elements of buildings and bridges all over Europe. Based on the experience gained through the use of the Eurocode conditions in recent years and many comments from industry, a revision of all parts of the Eurocode is currently in progress. The aim is to adapt the current design standards to the state of the art and research, to simplify the application and to harmonize the Eurocodes with each other. Finally, these modifications will be transferred to the second generation of European standards. An overview of the development phases and project teams is presented in this paper, accompanied by an insight into current standardization work and the technical discussions, mainly focusing on EN 1994‐1‐1.

Antifungal activity of commercial sanitizers against strains of Penicillium roqueforti, Penicillium paneum, Hyphopichia burtonii, and Aspergillus pseudoglaucus: Bakery spoilage fungi

Information on the sensitivity of spoilage fungi of bakery products to sanitizing agents is scarce in the literature. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the antifungal activity of different classes of commercial sanitizers, which have permitted use in the food industry, on the main fungi involved in spoiling bakery products. The tests were carried out according to the protocol for testing the antifungal effect of chemical sanitizers of the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), with adaptations. Different strains of six isolated fungal species responsible for spoiling bakery products (Penicillium roqueforti, Penicillium paneum, Hyphopichia burtonii, and Aspergillus pseudoglaucus) were tested against five sanitizers at three concentrations: benzalkonium chloride (0.3%, 2.5%, 5%), biguanide (2%, 3.5%, 5%), peracetic acid (0.15%, 1.5%, 3%), quaternary ammonium (0.3%, 2.5%, 5%), and sodium hypochlorite (0.01%, 0.1%, 0.2%). Peracetic acid was the most effective sanitizes considering the genera, species, and concentrations evaluated, generally being capable of reductions between 2 and 4 logs of initial control tested. Biguanide should not be the compound of choice when the main goal of the bakery industry is fungal control.

Including 38 kHz in the standardization protocol for hydroacoustic fish surveys in temperate lakes

AbstractHydroacoustics has become a requisite method to assess fish populations and allows to describe the relationships of fish with other elements of the aquatic ecosystem. This nonintrusive method is currently an integral part of the sampling procedures recommended for fish stock assessment by the Water Framework Directive and has been standardized by the European Committee for Standardization [CEN (2014) CSN EN 15910 ‐ Water quality ‐ Guidance on the estimation of fish abundance with mobile hydroacoustic methods, Category: 7577 Water quality. Biological.]. In Europe, hydroacoustic surveys are performed in freshwater using different frequencies. Consequently, there is a need to evaluate if survey results can be compared. This study aimed to carry out in situ comparisons at the 38 kHz frequency (noted f) with two other commonly used frequencies, 70 and 200 kHz. The 38 kHz frequency has seldom been compared with other frequencies in freshwater although it is widely used worldwide, especially in the Great Lakes of North America and in Sweden. In 2016, hydroacoustic data were acquired in Lakes Annecy and Bourget using methods validated in previous studies that compared the frequencies 70, 120 and 200 kHz. This study showed similar density and biomass estimations as a function of frequency, density(f) and biomass(f), between the frequencies studied for low to moderate fish densities. For higher fish densities, the results were more variable and need to be verified. Fish density(f) and biomass(f) estimations sometimes exhibit differences between frequencies, which is not fully in agreement with theoretical calculations. The aim of this study was to evaluate frequency comparisons in practise. However, if the differences on acoustic metrics, density(f) or biomass(f) between frequencies were occasionally statistically significant, the differences were small enough to be considered negligible for fish population management. These analyses led to better knowledge of the responses from fish in temperate lakes for the studied frequencies. Our findings should be considered when revising the CEN standard.

ANTECEDENTS OF ONLINE OJEK CUSTOMER LOYALTY (CASE STUDY OF STUDENT CUSTOMERS GO-JEK MEDAN)

This research is conducted to determine the level of customer loyalty influenced by the antecedents of customer satisfaction, the reasonableness of the price and quality of service, either directly or through customer satisfaction Go-Ride students in Medan. The unit of analysis of this study was individuals, namely female students from universities in Medan who had used Go-Ride. The method of determining the sample used purposive sampling method. Of the 298 data collected, 290 data were used as research samples and processed using the Lisrel 8.72 program. This research tests the quality of services with service quality indicators of a mass transport from the European Committee for Standardization which has never been used for motorcycle taxis. This study found that there is direct effect of antecedents of customer loyalty such as customer satisfaction and fairness of significant prices on Go-Ride student loyalty in Medan, while service quality has a significant indirect effect on Go-Ride student loyalty in Medan. This research has implications for a business start-up that must pay attention to the antecedents of loyalty, including customer satisfaction, fairness of price, and quality of service, and competitiveness will determine the sustainability of a start-up business because customers with businesses and businesses with businesses have mutually related relationships influence.

Developing a standard approach for assessing the hydromorphology of lakes in Europe

Abstract Methods for assessing the hydrology and morphology of lakes (‘hydromorphology’) are needed for reporting under national and international legislation, as well as to assist in lake management and restoration. Despite this, no consistent approaches have been developed around Europe for monitoring lake hydromorphology. To address this need, representatives from 12 countries met at a series of workshops to develop two protocols for monitoring, published under the auspices of the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). The first standard (EN 16039) describes six categories for assessing lake hydromorphology: hydraulics, morphometry, bedforms/landforms and substrate, connectivity and continuity, and land cover. The second standard (EN 16870) sets out a scoring system for assessing the degree of modification of lake hydromorphology, which was designed, tested and refined using data from 127 lakes in seven European countries. The CEN standards focus on four lake zones—riparian, shore, littoral, and open water—but recognize the importance of considering lakes within their wider catchment context. The field techniques described are based largely on Lake Habitat Survey but also rely on existing databases, maps and remote‐sensing data. These standards are aimed at scientists, conservation bodies and environmental regulators, and are relevant not only for monitoring lakes under the Water Framework Directive, but also for contributing to programmes of lake conservation. For example, in the UK, parts of the CEN standards have been incorporated within the methods used for monitoring and reporting on the condition of Special Areas of Conservation (under the Habitats Directive) and Sites of Special Scientific Interest under national legislation. It is hoped that this pan‐European approach will improve the ability to compare data across many countries, and ultimately ensure that the results of monitoring are translated into measures for improving the hydromorphological condition of lakes and the biological communities they contain.

Uncertainty Models of Reinforced Concrete Beams in Bending: Code Comparison and Recycled Aggregate Incorporation

AbstractThe bias factor of the Eurocode 2 [CEN (European Committee for Standardization) (2008). Eurocode 2: Design of Concrete Structures–Part 1-1: General Rules and Rules for Buildings] and ACI 31...

Life Cycle Assessment of Building Renovation Measures–Trade-off between Building Materials and Energy

The scope of this study is to assess how different energy efficient renovation strategies affect the environmental impacts of a multi-family house in a Nordic climate within district heating systems. The European Union has set ambitious targets to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2030. There is special attention on reducing the life cycle emissions in the buildings sector. However, the focus has often been on new buildings, although existing buildings represent great potential within the building stock in Europe. In this study, four different renovation scenarios were analyzed with the commercially available life cycle assessment software that follows the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) standard. This study covers all life cycle steps from the cradle to the grave for a residential building in Borlänge, Sweden, where renewable energy dominates. The four scenarios included reduced indoor temperature, improved thermal properties of building material components and heat recovery for the ventilation system. One finding is that changing installations gives an environmental impact comparable to renovations that include both ventilation and building facilities. In addition, the life cycle steps that have the greatest environmental impact in all scenarios are the operational energy use and the building and installation processes. Renovation measures had a major impact on energy use due to the cold climate and low solar irradiation in the heating season. An interesting aspect, however, is that the building materials and the construction processes gave a significant amount of environmental impact.

Developing a standard approach for monitoring freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) populations in European rivers

Abstract The freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) is an endangered species in Europe, protected nationally and internationally, but with a steadily declining range and abundance owing to pressures such as pollution, river engineering, and illegal exploitation. Despite this, no consistent approaches have been developed around Europe for monitoring pearl mussel populations and their habitats. To address this need, experts on pearl mussel ecology from 11 countries met at a series of workshops in order to develop a protocol for monitoring, published under the auspices of the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). This standard is unique, as it is the first CEN standard dedicated to a single species of conservation concern. The standard is aimed at scientists, conservation bodies, and environmental regulators, and can be used for designing national monitoring programmes as well as reporting on the conservation status of pearl mussel populations under the European Habitats Directive. It contains guidance at the individual site level to determine why populations are failing to recruit, but also addresses the need for a wider‐scale approach to ensure that catchment developments do not have adverse impacts on rivers containing pearl mussels. A pearl mussel monitoring programme needs to investigate the size and viability of populations, as well as the fish hosts (Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, or brown trout, Salmo trutta) on which pearl mussel larvae depend. Water quality, including variables such as dissolved oxygen, acid–base chemistry, and nutrient levels, is also an essential monitoring component, together with the physical features of the river bed, river flow regimes, and sediment dynamics. It is hoped that this pan‐European approach will improve the ability to compare data across many countries, and will ultimately ensure that the results of monitoring are translated into measures for improving the conservation status of the freshwater pearl mussel throughout its range.

Methodology and calculation model for recycling of composite construction products

The circular economy development has increased awareness on how construction products are treated at the end-of-life stage (EoL). With a growing recognition of the finite nature of primary resources, manufacturing processes are being shifted from the traditional take-make-dispose approach to a greater holistic practice, where valuable and/or scarce substances are recovered at the end of a product’s life. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is gaining wider attractiveness, as assessment of environmental impacts constitutes an effective quantitative decision tool to identifying sustainable solutions. At the same time, existing guidelines, technical specifications and methods for LCA assessment at EoL are rather heterogeneous regarding modelling and calculation of related secondary material and energy streams. For construction products, category rules for Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) according to EN 15804 (issued through the European Committee for Standardization) and the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) (developed by the European Commission) currently represent the most advanced methodological references. The study presents the methodological approach per EN 15804, describing the benefits and loads beyond the typical disposal stage. Thus, the environmental impacts of a construction element can be credited in accord to its material and energetic recycling potential. An applied model is realized for water pipes made of composite material. The calculation is exemplified and comparative results of allocation scenarios per EN 15804 and PEF are discussed, demonstrating correlations between the normative requirements and their application. The results support further identification, assessment and ranking of recycling alternatives (i.e. mechanical, thermal, chemical).

Validation of standard method EN ISO 19343 for the detection and quantification of histamine in fish and fishery products using high-performance liquid chromatography

In contaminated fish, bacterial decarboxylases produce histamine from histidine, thereby causing scombroid fish poisoning. European Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs requires using a fully validated, standardized reference HPLC method for detecting and quantifying histamine. After optimizing this reference method for the quantification of histamine in fish muscle, we organized an inter-laboratory study in 2013 across nine laboratories from seven European countries using defined criteria of method performance. The optimized, validated method was standardized (Standard EN ISO19343) as part of Mandate M381 from the European Commission to the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), signed in December 2010. The standard method was validated for three types of foodstuffs (fish with enzymatic maturation, fish without enzymatic maturation and fish sauce).

Interaction diagram based method for fire resistance design of eccentrically loaded concrete-filled steel tubular columns

Previous investigations have highlighted that the current design method in Annex H of EN 1994-1-2 for the calculation of fire resistance of slender concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) columns was unsafe, which led to the appointment of a Project Team (SC4.T4) by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) to develop a new Annex H in EN1994-1-2 to replace the existing one. This paper presents the outcome of the Project Team, a new simplified fire design method for CFST columns, focusing in particular on eccentrically loaded columns for which there had been no systematic research. An extensive parametric study consisting of 5046 analysis cases has been carried out, covering all the practical ranges of application of CFST columns. The method accounts for minor and major axis eccentricities with large eccentricities up to e/D = 1. Different bending moment diagrams, ranging from single curvature to double curve bending, were considered. The proposed new design method is in line with the cold design method in EN1994-1-1 and achieves the criteria of acceptance for safe and accurate design of structures in fire which were set by the CEN/TC250 Horizontal Group Fire.

Feasibility study of a candidate reference material for ions in PM2.5: does commutability matter also for inorganic matrices?

The existing Air Quality Directive 2008/50/EC establishes within the European Union (EU) member states limit values for fine air particulate matter (PM2.5) including the possibility to discount natural sources of pollution when assessing compliance with the legislation. In proving this, EU member states shall determine, amongst others, the rural background concentration of some anions (Cl−, NO3− and SO42−) and cations (Na+, NH4+, K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+). To deliver reliable data and to comply with the data quality objectives of the legislation, environmental control laboratories should use certified reference materials (CRMs) to validate or verify the performance of their analytical methods. Since no CRMs for anions and cations in PM2.5 are presently available, we present the commutability issues encountered during the first attempt to develop such a material. We demonstrate that a dust, collected in a road tunnel and previously used for the production of two CRMs of a PM10-like material, does not behave as an authentic fine particulate matter collected according to EN12341:2014 when measured by an established method proposed by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN/TR 16269:2011). The water-soluble fractions of SO42−, NH4+, K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ in a PM2.5-like candidate CRM produced from that road tunnel dust are only fully extracted after 3 h of sonication and not after 30 min, as stated in the method. Moreover, we found that the particle size of the test material influenced the extraction yield of K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+, suggesting that these ionic species were incorporated in the core of the particles and inaccessible to the extraction procedure. These particular features make the material unsuitable for the measurements of ions with the CEN method. The difference in the extraction time can be seen as a commutability issue and the candidate CRM should be considered as not commutable with routine samples. This demonstrates that commutability studies should not only be considered for clinical CRMs, but also for inorganic CRMs when they are intended to be used to quantify operationally defined analytes.

Efficacy of commercial sanitizers against fungi of concern in the food industry

Choosing an active ingredient for sanitizing agents, and the concentrations to be employed for hygiene in food industries is an important step in order to obtain the maximum efficacy of a particular product. However, the data available on the sensitivity of food spoilage fungi to sanitizers are very limited. Thus, the aim of this work was to evaluate the antifungal efficacy of commercial sanitizing agents appropriate for use in food industries on species with potential for food spoilage. Tests were carried out following a European Committee for Standardization (CEN) protocol for testing the antifungal effect of chemical sanitizers, with adaptations. Six fungi were used: Aspergillus brasiliensis (ATCC 16404), Candida albicans (ATCC 10231), Cladosporium cladosporioides (IMI 158517), Penicillium commune (CCT 7683), P. polonicum (NGT 33/12) and P. roqueforti (IMI 217568); five sanitizers were used at three different concentrations: benzalkonium chloride (0.3%, 2.5%, 5%), biguanide (2%, 3.5%, 5%), peracetic acid (0.15%, 1.5%, 3%), quaternary ammonium (0.3%, 2.5%, 5%) and sodium hypochlorite (0.1%, 0.5%, 1.5%). Variation in the antifungal efficacy of sanitizers was seen. Sodium hypochlorite was the most efficient agent at the concentrations evaluated, and biguanide should not be chosen for controlling food spoilage fungi.

DNAqua-Net or how to navigate on the stormy waters of standards and legislations

Several national and international environmental laws require countries to meet clearly defined targets with respect to the ecological status of aquatic ecosystems. In Europe, the EU-Water Framework Directive (WFD; 2000/60/EC) represents such a detailed piece of legislation. The WFD that requires the European member countries to achieve an at least ‘good’ ecological status of all surface waters at latest by the year 2027. In order to assess the ecological status of a given water body under the WFD, data on its aquatic biodiversity are obtained and compared to reference status. The mismatch between these two metrics then is used to derive the respective ecological status class. While the workflow to carry out the assessment is well established, it relies only on few biological groups (typically fish, macroinvertebrates and a few algal taxa such as diatoms), is time consuming and remains at a lower taxonomic resolution, so that the identifications can be done routinely by non-experts with an acceptable learning curve. Here, novel genetic and genomic tools provide new solutions to speed up the process and allow to include a much greater proportion of biodiversity in the assessment process. further, results are easily comparable through the genetic ‘barcodes’ used to identify organisms. The aim of the large international COST Action DNAqua-Net (http://dnaqua.net/) is to develop strategies on how to include novel genetic tools in bioassessment of aquatic ecosystems in Europe and beyond and how to standardize these among the participating countries. It is the ambition of the network to have these new genetic tools accepted in future legal frameworks such as the EU-Water Framework Directive (WFD; 2000/60/EC) and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/EC). However, a prerequisite is that various aspects that start from the validation and completion of DNA Barcode reference databases, to the lab and field protocols, to the analysis processes as well as the subsequently derived biotic indices and metrics are dealt with and commonly agreed upon. Furthermore, many pragmatic questions such as adequate short and long-term storage of samples or specimens for further processing or to serve as an accessible reference need also be addressed. In Europe the conformity and backward compatibility of the new methods with the existing legislation and workflows are further of high importance. Without rigorous harmonization and inter-calibration concepts, the implementation of the powerful new genetic tools will be substantially delayed in real-world legal framework applications. After a short introduction on the structure and vision of DNAqua-Net, we discuss how the DNAqua-Net community considers possibilities to include novel DNA-based approaches into current bioassessment and how formal standardization e.g. through the framework of CEN (The European Committee for Standardization) may aid in that process (Hering et al. 2018, Leese et al. 2016, Leese et al. 2018. Further we explore how TDWG data standards can further facilitate swift adoption of the genetic methods in routine use. We further present potential impacts of the legislative requirements of the Nagoya Protocol on the exchange of genetic resources and their implications for biomonitoring. Last but not least, we will touch upon the rather unexpected influence that the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) may have on the bioassessment work in practice.