Seminar of ČSTN (Czech Society for Technical Standardization) in Znojmo in the sign of cooperation with the Slovak SSTN and preparation for the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the founding of ČSN

On 13 and 14 September 2021, ČSTN organized a traditional seminar connected with the General Meeting in Znojmo at the Mariel Hotel.

In addition to members of ČSTN and other participants from the Czech Republic, representatives of SSTN (Slovak Society for Technical Standardization) and ÚNMS (Office for Standardization, Metrology and Testing) also took an active part in the event.

One of the members of SSTN, Ing. Peter Lakatoš, who worked for several years as an expert at the Georgian and Ukrainian Institute of Technical Standardization, gave lectures from his colleagues from these institutions and introduced us to the activities of the Georgian Institute. He also arranged a lecture by prof. Medovara on the topic of electroslag remelting of steel for demanding use in industry.

Chairwoman of SSTN and member of the board of ZSVTS Bratislava (Association of the Slovak Scientific and Technical Society) Ing. Božena Tušová handed over a plaque to our association for the 30th anniversary of the ZSVTS and informed the seminar participants about the activities of both organizations in Slovakia.

The seminar was also attended by the General Director of the ČAS Agency - Mgr. Zdeněk Veselý, who presented the latest findings from the Agency's activities in his speech:

- the issue of sponsored access to technical standards,

- finalization of the preparation of the complete digitization of the ČSN standards collection into xml format,

- presentation of the BIM (Building Information Management) project for construction,

- CEN / CENELEC meeting in Prague at 6/2022 (expected 300 guests from all over the world),

- celebrations of the 100th anniversary of technical standardization in the Czech lands in the second half of 2022,

- publishing the ČAS Magazine in electronic and printed form.

The meeting was also enriched by the Chairman of the Board of the Association of Czech Consumers and at the same time by the Director of the Cabinet for Standardization, Ing. Libor Dupal, who discussed the activities of the Association and introduced the structure of the international organization ANEC (European Association for the Coordination of Consumer Participation in Standardization). Furthermore, the listeners were presented with a part of the manuals concerning especially the quality of food products, safety of sports grounds with emphasis on sports grounds for children, as well as the issue of vulnerability of consumers, disabled people and seniors.

The participants of the seminar also welcomed the lecture of the nestor of the ČSTN association Ing. Václav Voves on the topic "Stages of the emergence of European standards and experience with teaching technical standardization at high schools and universities".

Other presenters were already traditional participants of our events, representatives of companies providing service updating Czech and foreign technical standards, mediation of company access to foreign databases and many other specific requirements of customers in this field, director of NORMSERVIS Hamry nad Sázavou Mr. Miroslav Sobotka and director of TEMA IHS Prague Ing. Zdeněk Liška.

In the second lecture block the participants had the opportunity to learn about the activities and experience of the manager of the testing laboratories of Vítkovice Steel Ostrava Ing. Gabriela Míčková, who during her active working career has passed through the former Rudolf's smelter from agglomeration to final production including testing and attestation of products. Subsequently, a presentation was made by the representative of the Steel Union and the Centre for Technical Standardization (CTN) for the metallurgy Ing. Tatiana Ujházy, who presented the activities of CTN in terms of national and international cooperation with the European (CEN) and international standardization organization (ISO). In addition, she introduced the audience to the topics currently discussed in the field of standard-setting as well as the overall situation in the steel industry. Current information from this production sector can be found on the website of the Steel Union.

Due to time constraints, the quiz questions concerning technical standardization were not discussed, divided into 5 chapters (History, International Standards Organization, National Technical Standardization, Technical Standards - meaning, origin and structure, Other topics). This educational quiz will soon be placed on the website of our association (www.cstn.cz). We believe that it will contribute to the popularization of technical standardization and to a deeper knowledge of this unjustly neglected field. Technical standardization affects all areas of human activity and sets rules for clear communication, especially between legislators, manufacturers and consumers.

Before the end of the seminar, the cooperation with doc. Efmert (Head of the Historical Laboratory of Electrical Engineering at ČVUT FEL Prague), who is preparing a lecture on the founder of technical standardization in the Czech lands, Professor Vladimír List, for the 100th anniversary of TN.

The end of the meeting belonged to the general meeting of the ČSTN association, where the activities for the previous year 2020 were balanced.

During the pandemic, ČSTN began to actively use virtual communication, committee members participated in 8 video conferences and managed to successfully organize online seminars, instead of the classic seminar held annually at DT Ostrava. This seminar has been a traditional meeting place for professional employees in the field of technical standardization at MSK for more than 15 years.

The seminar and the General Assembly in the royal city of Znojmo were very successful even in this difficult time, as evidenced not only by the large number of members and supporters of the association, but also the rich program and interest of representatives of foreign participants from Slovakia in establishing lasting cooperation.

ČSTN is pleased with the interest in cooperation and considers it an important act just before the upcoming 100th anniversary of technical standardization, which we will celebrate in 2022. Mutual cooperation is a prerequisite for dignified celebrations of this anniversary in both the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Ing Gustav Chwistek

Chairman of ČSTN

4.10.2021