DIN EN ISO 2016 is the standard with which many Germans start their day: it defines what toothbrushes should be and in particular how resistant their fine bristles should be so that they do not fall out when washing the teeth in the mouth, writes ARD.
German obsession with rules? Some may definitely find this prescription excessive. And this is just one of the tens of thousands of norms that regulate life in Germany – from toothbrushes to the construction of high-rise buildings.
Most norms are international
Just such a building in Berlin bears the proud inscription DIN on its facade – German Institute for Standardization. The company, which is largely self-financed, is responsible for compliance with more than 35,000 standards, ARD informs. “Most of them are international, i.e. such as we use to sell our German products on the world market”, Christoph Winterhalter from DIN tells the public-law media.
He gives the following example: supply chains can only function smoothly if shipping containers are compatible with the dimensions of vehicles, warehouses and ports.
According to the definition, a norm is “a document drawn up by consensus and adopted by a recognized institution that sets out general repeatable rules, directives or characteristics for certain activities or their results“. This is also a norm with a number – a norm that regulates what a norm is. Philosophy considers norms to be social agreements upon which the community has agreed to simplify its life together.
Seamless supply chains
This is how things are in the economy as well, notes ARD. Standards and norms ensure that the container will fit the ship, the screw – of the thread, the paper – on the printer, the credit card – at the ATM, the condom...etc. It is this coordination that definitely brings economic benefits.
According to Winterhalter, the German economy saves around 17 billion euros annually thanks to the norms. “Imagine there are no norms. In this situation, all technical details between the companies must be negotiated bilaterally in the form of commercial agreements each time. And so everything goes smoothly – as long as the norms are respected”, he says.
Because the DIN norms, just like the moral ones, are in no way legally binding, but voluntary, states ARD. Compliance with them becomes an obligation only if they are included in a law or in a directive such as those of the EU.
Six pages on how to make tea
So, for example, the ISO 8601 standard is more of an agreement than a law, but it is not at all irrelevant, as it specifies that a week consists of seven days and starts on Monday. This is definitely necessary when making an appointment. Or ISO 22774, which regulates the durability of shoelaces and ensures that you won't show up to a meeting with broken laces, explains ARD.
Of course, there are norms that hardly anyone needs today. Such as ISO 3103: six pages describing how to brew the perfect tea. They also contain instructions for the size, material and shape of the jug, as well as for the amount of water, the time the tea should stay in the water, and the correct addition of milk. This norm is from 1980 and would probably not be included in the normative reference book today.
But even today, requests for new norms are being received in Berlin, writes ARD. Such a request can be submitted by anyone, without exception. But – only if it complies with the application norm, which also exists. Otherwise, it would be too easy, concludes ARD ironically.