Mrs. Iuliana Chilea has been the General Director of the Romanian Standards Association (ASRO) since 2017, guiding the organization through a period of transformation and stronger European engagement. Mrs. Chilea began her career in ASRO more than 15 years ago, initially addressing intellectual property matters before being appointed as Standardization Director, a position Mrs. Chilea held for seven years.
Her long-standing commitment to standardization has been reflected both nationally and internationally. Mrs. Chilea has represented Romania as a permanent delegate in the Technical Boards of CEN and CENELEC, where she actively contributed to shaping policy and processes of European standardization. Mrs. Chilea has also been involved in the governance structures of CEN and CENELEC: CEN Board, CENELEC Board and MRMC. Through these roles, she gained a broad understanding of the European standardization system and contributed to initiatives ranging from governance review to reducing development times for standards, an issue of continued importance to stakeholders.
As Romania’s delegate to the European Commission’s Committee on Standards, Mrs. Chilea brings national perspectives to the heart of EU policymaking, ensuring that Romanian interests are represented in relation to directives, regulations and standardization mandates supporting the European Single Market.
She has focused on making standardization meaningful across domains (from research and innovation to industry, regulation, and policymaking) demonstrating how standards can serve as practical tools for competitiveness, trust, and cooperation.
Starting with January 2026, Mrs. Chilea will be acting in her newly elected role as Vice-President Technical of CEN. This new role represents both a personal milestone and an important achievement for Romania, reinforcing the country’s contribution to the future of European standardization.
Can you briefly present the main mission and strategic objectives of ASRO?
The Romanian Standards Association (ASRO) has a clear and practical mission: to develop, adopt, and promote standards that people can trust, and businesses can use, turning innovation into safe practice and supporting Romania’s competitiveness, growth, and societal well-being.
To achieve this, we focus on what makes a real difference. We bring European standards into the Romanian context faster, especially in key areas such as construction, energy, ICT, cybersecurity, and sustainability. For some standards, translation and technical review are carried out in parallel, and when possible, we provide accessible guidance to help organizations implement them with confidence.
Broad participation is a cornerstone of our approach. SMEs, academia, industry experts, civil society, and public authorities are encouraged to contribute to standardization, because stronger standards emerge from broader expertise. At the same time, we promote education about standardization, helping future professionals get the necessary skills to understand the role of standards in innovation and society.
This work is anchored in an active European and international presence. Over the years, ASRO enhanced its contribution to the technical work and governance of CEN, CENELEC, ISO, IEC, and ETSI, ensuring that national priorities align with European policies and international best practices. We focus on domains where standards accelerate safe innovation and market access, while also building bridges from research to market by turning project outputs into concrete standardization deliverables.
In the end, our goal is straightforward: standards that are delivered faster, easier to understand, and reliable in practice, helping innovators grow, authorities enforce, and society trust.
What would you highlight as ASRO's most significant achievements or milestones in recent years?
In recent years, ASRO has evolved from a quiet technical reference into a visible, forward-leaning force shaping how standards support Romania’s development and innovation. A major milestone has been our strengthened influence at the European level: ASRO representatives and experts now contribute actively to the work and governance of CEN and CENELEC. This presence ensures that Romanian priorities are considered early in key areas, such as the new generation of Eurocodes, the Green Deal, and digital transformation, helping stakeholders anticipate emerging trends and adapt proactively.
At home, the change is equally tangible. We’ve modernized digital access to standards through platforms like InfoStandard 5.0, making it simple for stakeholders to discover, purchase, and apply standards. Behind the scenes, we have strengthened the adoption and translation process: improving coordination with regulators and market-surveillance authorities, running technical reviews alongside translations where feasible, and ensuring consistent terminology databases.
Another achievement lies in strengthening ASRO’s participation in Research & Development projects, mainly under Horizon Europe funding programme, enabling our efforts to translate research findings into practical standards ensure that innovation can reach the market efficiently.
Taken together, these milestones reflect ASRO’s commitment to making standardization more influential in Europe, and more actionable for Romanian businesses, authorities, and for society at large.
Translation of European standards is important for national implementation. How is ASRO approaching the challenge of translating standards, and what are the main priorities in this area?
ASRO views the translation of European standards as fundamental to ensuring their effective national implementation and practical application. Our approach prioritizes quality, consistency, and efficiency using an AI-based application – MemoQ – to streamline translation process and to ensure consistent technical terminology.
We strategically prioritize the translation of standards with the highest societal and economic impact. Throughout this process, we work closely with technical experts to ensure both technical accuracy and practical usability for Romanian stakeholders.
Furthermore, we continuously refine our workflows to respond more rapidly to market demands. By investing in process automation, rigorous expert review, and clear prioritization criteria, ASRO supports Romania's alignment with European policies while empowering users to implement standards with confidence.
ASRO is an active member of CEN and CENELEC. Could you share some examples of how ASRO contributes to and benefits from this European cooperation?
ASRO has been a full member of CEN and CENELEC since 2007, which marked Romania’s integration into the European standardization system. Membership provides direct access to the European standardization process, where we help shape standards that underpin free movement of goods and services, competitiveness, and the transition to a digital and sustainable economy.
Over the years, ASRO has actively engaged in both the technical and governance structures of CEN and CENELEC. Our representatives contribute to boards, working groups, and task forces on issues such as reducing development times in standardization, streamlining of processes and continuous alignment with international activities, financing of standardization at EU level, etc. At the governance level, ASRO participates in bodies such as the CEN Board, MRMC, and the new Board Standing Committees, as well as through participation in the revision of the bylaws.
At the technical level, ASRO’s experts are directly involved in the drafting of European standards, leading to standardization outcomes. Recent results include two new CEN Workshop Agreements (CWAs): CWA 18150:2024, which sets out a standardized testing methodology for counter-drone (C-UAS) systems, and CWA 18193:2025 on smart building assessment. In addition, over 110 Romanian experts contribute to numerous CEN and CENELEC working groups in fields like energy, construction – Eurocodes, information technology, safety, plastic recycling etc., ensuring that national expertise is represented in European standardization.
Through these contributions, ASRO ensures that Romania’s priorities are reflected in European decision-making, while also bringing back best practices and strategic insights nationally. The benefits include direct access to the latest technological and regulatory developments, enhanced visibility and credibility at the European level, and stronger support for the national economic and institutional environment.
Small and medium-sized enterprises often face difficulties in engaging with standardization. What measures does ASRO take to involve and support SMEs in the standardization process?
SMEs are the backbone of both the Romanian and European economies, yet their involvement in standardization is often limited due to financial constraints, lack of expertise, or the perception that standardization is a complex and difficult process. Recognizing these challenges, ASRO has developed several measures to facilitate and encourage SME participation.
At the core of these efforts is ASRO’s SME Portal, a dedicated digital platform offering clear and practical information on the role and benefits of standards, guidance on how to join technical committees, and resources such as guides and news. The portal highlights initiatives like “7 Standards Every Company Needs”, helping SMEs move beyond compliance toward excellence, and provides access to Info.Standard 5.0, ASRO’s digital tool that allows enterprises to manage standards efficiently through alerts, collections, and a personalized dashboard.
ASRO also ensures concrete support measures: tailored pricing policies, discounted access to thematic collections and technical committee membership, and lower participation costs. In 2024, for example, 350 SMEs were actively represented in national technical committees – a significant share of the total 688 members, thanks to simplified online participation, clear guides on how to provide feedback during public enquiries, and dedicated outreach to SME associations and chambers of commerce.
Equally important is our focus on training and awareness. In 2024, more than 200 SME representatives attended ASRO’s online courses covering diverse areas such as quality management, environmental protection, information security, energy management, occupational health and safety, and other key areas. These flexible learning formats help SMEs gain the competence needed to use standards as tools for innovation and competitiveness.
Through targeted campaigns, in sectors such as construction, IT, food safety, health and safety, ASRO has raised awareness of how standards can reduce costs, open international markets, and strengthen resilience.
Looking ahead, ASRO is committed to expanding these initiatives – with new thematic collections, enhanced digital tools, and dedicated events – to ensure that SMEs not only use standards as compliance tools but also leverage them as strategic assets for growth, innovation, and sustainability.
Slightly revised: On September 22nd and 23rd, ASRO will host the 10th Balkan Conference. How important are such regional gatherings for standardization in the region, and what makes this year’s focus on education and research particularly relevant?
Raising awareness and knowledge about standardization is essential for preparing future professionals. When students are exposed to standardization as part of their studies, they gain practical skills that not only enhance their career prospects but also help drive innovation, competitiveness, and sustainable practices. Across Europe, integrating standardization into higher education remains a work in progress, making initiatives that highlight its importance even more vital.
Regional gatherings like the Balkan Conference bring this principle to life by turning standardization from a set of documents into a living community of practice. On September 22-23 in Timișoara, representatives of DG Grow, European and international standards organizations, and national standards bodies from Balkan region, as well as academics, authorities, researchers and industry experts will come together to exchange knowledge, align priorities across borders, share their challenges in this domain, and foster partnerships that go beyond the conference itself.
What excites me most is the conference theme “Research & Education Trigger NextGen Standardization.” It puts the spotlight exactly where the region can gain the most: transforming research results into practical standards and preparing the next generation of experts who will develop and apply them. When professors, students, engineers and regulators sit at the same table, standards become easier to teach, faster to implement, and clearer to audit.
For ASRO, hosting the 10th edition of the Balkan Conference represents an opportunity to bring together stakeholders in standardization, share knowledge, and foster connections that strengthen standardization education and practice. The conference helps build a shared vision and encourages collaboration, enhancing the region’s visibility and influence at the European level. That’s why these regional forums matter: they shorten distances, accelerate learning, and amplify the region’s voice in Europe.
NOTE: The interview was conducted in August 2025, prior to the 10th Balkan Conference.
Prepared by: Violeta Nešković-Popović and Jovana Korićanac
