Focus Topics Collection

Explore a range of curated content from the #IECGM26's focus topics. Choose your favorite topics or discover them all.

The future of humanity? Climate-neutral. That’s what we demand, that’s what we’re pushing for. But what will life actually look like in such a future? Wouldn’t it be incredibly useful if someone (or something) could speak to us from the future and tell us: You’re on the right path. Here now a fictive outlook – or rather, a fictive look back. Read More

Even if 100-percent acceptance is not achieved for every standard, it remains the objective of everybody all those involved. That is the essence of the consensus principle, which has been applied in electrotechnical standardization for many decades and which forms the basis of the high level of acceptance and resilience of standards.

Why standardization is therefore deeply democratic, why the balance between speed and consensus must still be recalibrated, and how the way out of the comfort zone looks like: these are three theses on the consensus principle by Christian Marian, Project Manager International at DKE. With this contribution, we launch our communication on the topic of consensus for the IEC General Meeting in Hamburg in November 2026 – further contributions to the discussion will follow. Read More

After a long period of political and economic stability, many supposed certainties are now unraveling and there is a great need for orientation. Although electrotechnical standardization can perform this role in only one segment of society, its importance as a trustworthy institution is growing.

In this opinion piece, Henrike Gördes, Head of Governance at DKE, shows how much a changing world needs anchors and why, despite all the challenges, confidence and self-assurance are expedient. This marks the start of our communication on the topic of trust for the IEC General Meeting in Hamburg in November 2026 – further contributions to the discussion will follow. Read More

Standards shape markets, protect consumers, and enable innovation — but who shapes the standards? At the General Meeting 2026 of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IECGM26) in Hamburg this November, thousands of experts will tackle that very question, exploring how independent standardization and regulatory frameworks can work together to create global impact.

The synergy between standardization and regulation will be one of the key topics at the IECGM26. The rules that shape global trade, technology, and safety are written in standards – and Hamburg will be where the next chapter is drafted. Read More

One of the stated objectives of the European Green Deal is to make Europe the world's first carbon-neutral continent by the year 2050. The strategy that is to be applied for achieving this objective places particular focus on the companies. In future, they will be required to disclose their emissions and the measures they are taking to reduce their carbon footprint.

The companies will use the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) as a basis, transitioning it from an indicator of global warming potential to an indicator of a product’s international marketability. But how convincing are these values? Although the carbon footprint is used as a standard measure by many companies, it is still impossible to make meaningful comparisons between the PCF values of different products. Read More

Often misunderstood is that consensus does not mean unanimity. Wolfgang Niedenzu, Siemens, talks about his work in standardization. VDE Dialog

The digitalization of standards holds enormous potential. Janos Koschwitz, DKE, talks about how this has gained global importance. VDE Dialog

We are living in a time of significant technological and geopolitical shifts that are having a profound impact on the relationship between standardization and regulation. The 2026 IEC General Meeting in Hamburg, will bring together the relevant stakeholders and outline the future of technical standards.

Philippe Metzger (IEC Secretary-General & CEO) and Florian Spiteller (member of the DKE Executive Board and of the IEC Standardization Management Board (SMB)) explain why the interplay between standardization and regulation provides competitive advantages, to what extent policymakers benefit from digital standardization processes, and what to expect from the General Meeting. Read More

Companies aim to accelerate the development of innovative ideas into globally successful products. One key approach is using smart solutions for standards for a far more efficient use of standards and a much quicker product development. Numerous initiatives are driving these new technologies forward worldwide. The German Commission for Electrotechnical, Electronic, and Information Technologies (DKE), a member of the IEC, is one of the leading drivers globally. As host, it is putting smart solutions on the agenda of the General Meeting of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IECGM) in November 2026 in Hamburg and demonstrating the enormous potential in concrete terms. Read More

One of the main issues at the IEC General Meeting will be the consensus-based approach of our work. The key questions are whether consensus is indispensable for every subject, whether the principle allows other voting majorities and what digital technologies can be used for an accelerated modern standardization process. In this round-table discussion, Uwe Rüddenklau (Chair of CENELEC Technical Committee TC47X), Michael Dopichaj (Next Generation DKE), and Gilles Thonet (Deputy Secretary-General, IEC) provide some ideas on the subject. Read More

By discussing the subject of trust, the IEC General Meeting addresses key issues concerning our society. Currently, AI is a major development affecting all aspects of life. It programs, plans, manages, it assists in content generation. But it also responds with hallucinations and allows misuse. How can trust and confidence in standardization be won and strengthened in a world of AI-driven technology? Raoul Schönhof (Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft), Megan Hayes (Chair of the IEC Diversity Advisory Committee), and Batuhan Ayaz (Next Generation DKE) provide some ideas on the subject. Read More

Approximately 3,000 experts from all over the world will gather at the IEC General Meeting in Hamburg, where over 1,000 meetings have been scheduled. Florian Spiteller, a member of management at DKE, explained in an interview why the German approach can sometimes be too direct, why standardization begins already at breakfast, and the extent to which pressure can give way to opportunity. Read More

SMART solutions for standards are no longer a future concept – they are becoming a defining factor for how standards deliver value in a digital world. Ahead of IECGM26 in Hamburg, Maria Lazarte, Content Use Product Manager, and Francis Pernel, Director IEC/ISO Single Delivery Unit, explain why this shift affects the entire IEC community and why even those late to the topic now have a unique opportunity to benefit. Read More

Modern data centers are on the verge of a major step: growing processing loads, increasingly compacted technology, and rising expectations regarding climate protection.

In Germany, regulations such as the Energy Efficiency Act define clear requirements for waste heat utilization. In Europe, the EN 50600 standard series gives common criteria regarding construction, operation, and key performance indicators. On an international level, alignment with ISO/IEC standards ensures comparability.

Data center operators no longer plan only server rooms but energy-efficient infrastructures with reliable operation and intelligent heat utilization that are also suitable for urban environments. Read More