Small Business Standards (SBS) marks a milestone evening with its Stakeholder Reception & 1st Awards Ceremony, hosted at the European Economic and Social Committee
On 29 June 2026, Small Business Standards (SBS) welcomed almost 100 participants to the premises of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in Brussels for its Stakeholder Reception & 1st Awards Ceremony, the flagship event of the 4th edition of Meeting Standards, SBS’s annual European campaign dedicated to empowering small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through standardisation.
As the voice of European SMEs in the standardisation process, SBS used the occasion to bring together policymakers, European institutions, standardisation bodies and SME representatives at a decisive moment for the Single Market, while also celebrating, for the very first time, the individuals and standards that are making a real difference for small businesses across Europe.
A Timely Gathering at a Pivotal Regulatory Moment
The event took place against the backdrop of one of the most significant regulatory transformations the Single Market has seen in decades. The Standardisation Regulation, the New Legislative Framework (NLF) and the Market Surveillance Regulation are all under revision in parallel, paving the way for a consolidated EU Product Act expected in autumn 2026. With the rules governing how products are designed, standardised and brought to market across Europe set to change, SBS convened this Stakeholder Reception to ensure small businesses have a seat at the table at exactly the right moment.
It was a great honour for SBS to organise this event in partnership with the European Economic and Social Committee, and to welcome its guests within the EESC’s premises. SBS was particularly touched by the presence and personal engagement of EESC President Séamus Boland and EESC Member Angelo Pagliara, who both delivered welcome remarks underlining the Committee’s active engagement in the revision of the Standardisation Regulation and its broader commitment to ensuring that organised civil society, including Europe’s small businesses, is heard in shaping the future of the Single Market.
A High-Level Keynote Panel on the Future of the Single Market
The evening opened with a keynote panel discussion, “Three Frameworks, One Market: The Standardisation Regulation, the New Legislative Framework (NLF), and the Market Surveillance Regulation under revision,” moderated by Tim Krögel. The panel brought together:
- Guillaume Roty, European Commission
- Jon Echanove, Secretary General, Small Business Standards (SBS)
- Belén Suárez López, SBS Expert & CEO Go To Innovation
The discussion offered a timely and wide-ranging exchange on how the ongoing revision of these three interlocking frameworks will shape compliance, market access and fair competition for SMEs across the Single Market in the years ahead.
The First-Ever SBS Awards Ceremony
The evening’s undisputed highlight was the first edition of the SBS Awards Ceremony, a new and permanent feature of the Meeting Standards Initiative. Andrea Raffaelli hosted the full evening, guiding participants through the panel discussion and the ceremony, before handing over to Jon Echanove, Secretary General of SBS, who presented the Awards on stage.
The SBS Awards Ceremony celebrates outstanding contributions to SME-inclusive standardisation, recognising both the individuals and the European standards that have made a measurable, concrete difference for small businesses across Europe. Two awards were presented on the night.
SBS Expert of the Year 2025
This award recognises an individual whose contribution to SME-inclusive standardisation has had exceptional impact. Three outstanding finalists were shortlisted for the 2025 edition: Pierre-François Jullien, Dr Emilia Tantar and Eoin Flavin.
The award was presented to Dr Emilia Tantar, Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer at the Luxembourg House of Cybersecurity and Head of the Luxembourg Cybersecurity Factory. A recognised leader in trustworthy AI, Dr Tantar chairs the Luxembourg National Standardisation Committee for Artificial Intelligence and serves as convenor of CEN/CENELEC JTC 21 WG 2 on “Operational aspects.” She has represented SBS in AI standardisation activities at European and international level since 2022, and in 2026 she spearheaded the launch of Europe’s first cybersecurity data space, providing open-access datasets to strengthen AI innovation, threat intelligence and cyber resilience for SMEs across Europe.
SBS extends its warm congratulations to Dr Tantar, as well as to fellow finalists Pierre-François Jullien and Eoin Flavin, for their outstanding contributions to the field.
Standard of the Year
This award recognises a European standard that has delivered a measurable, positive impact for SMEs. The inaugural Standard of the Year was awarded to EN ISO 27799:2026, Health informatics — Information security controls in health based on ISO/IEC 27002, in recognition of its contribution to helping small businesses in the health sector manage information security in a proportionate and practical way.
The award was accepted by Jennifer Ogbonna on behalf of CEN-CENELEC, who will pass it on to the technical committee responsible for drafting the standard. SBS wishes to thank every expert involved in developing EN ISO 27799:2026 for their contribution to a standard that genuinely serves SMEs.
A Special Tribute to Doris Rabetge
Beyond the two competitive categories, the evening included a moment of particular emotion for the SBS community: a special recognition award presented to Doris Rabetge, who will retire in the coming months after being part of the SBS family since the association’s very creation in 2013.
Over more than a decade, Doris has been a constant and dedicated presence at SBS, contributing to the growth of the association and to the strengthening of the SME voice in European and international standardisation. This special award was a heartfelt way for SBS to thank her for her years of commitment.
A Clear Success, and a Strong Foundation for the Future
Registrations for the Stakeholder Reception & 1st Awards Ceremony surpassed 100 participants ahead of the event, and turnout on the night confirmed this strong interest, with almost 100 participants gathering at the EESC. The audience reflected the breadth of the standardisation ecosystem that SBS engages with: European Commission officials, EESC members, national and European standardisation bodies, SME associations, and individual experts and finalists.
The strong attendance, combined with the visibility generated around the keynote panel and the introduction of the SBS Awards Ceremony, confirms the event as a clear success and lays a strong foundation for future editions of both the SBS Stakeholder Reception and the SBS Awards.
SBS wishes to once again thank the European Economic and Social Committee for hosting this event and for its continued partnership in advancing the voice of SMEs in European standardisation, as well as all speakers, moderators, finalists and participants who made the evening such a memorable one.