To begin with, standards are neither force nor dictate, quite the contrary:

• They are qualified recommendations. Their use is principally voluntary, but useful.
  
  
• Standards are required for solving technological and economic challenges.
  
  
• Under specific circumstances, legislation can declare standards or parts of standards as mandatory by law or decree. This makes compliance with this standard not optional anymore, but obligatory.
  
  
• Standards document the state of the art in technology and economics respectively.
  
  
• They are available to everyone and make useful development and innovation possible: standardised terms, standardised requirements, standardised quality, security and testing criteria.
  
  
• Thus, standards form the basis for orderly workflow in all economic and administrative areas.
  
  
• Standards are an important instrument for Austrian exporters in order to access new markets.