Stage Codes System

Croatian standards are developed by HZN technical committees (HZN/TO) through a six-step process:

In some cases, if no TO have been established European standards may, if needed, be adopted as Croatian standards under the so-called "Fast-track procedure". In this procedure certain stages may be omitted. Such document is submitted directly for approval as a draft Croatian standard (nHRN) to the public enquiry (stage 4), without passing through the previous stages.

For greater detail on how Croatian standards are developed, refer to the publication UPN 3:2009, Internal rules for Standardization – Part 3: Development and adoption of Croatian standards and other documents.


The following is the summary of each of the six stages:

Stage 1: Proposal stage
The first step in the development of a Croatian standard consists of confirming that a particular standard is needed or that a particular European/International standard has to be adopted. Proposal for a new work item (ipHRN) is submitted to the Technical Board (TU) which decides about the inclusion of the work item in the work programme of the relevant HZN/TO.

Stage 2: Preparatory stage
A working group of experts for particular field is usually set up by the HZN/TO or by TU for the preparation of a working draft (nrHRN). Successive working drafts may be considered until the working group will have developed the best technical solution to the subject being addressed. At this stage, the working draft (nrHRN) is forwarded to the working group's parent committee or to TU for the consensus-building phase.

Stage 3: Committee stage
As soon as a working draft is approved as a committee draft (noHRN), it is registered by the TO Secretariat. It is circulated to the members of the HZN/TO for comment and approval. Successive committee drafts may be considered until the reaching of consensus on the technical content... Once consensus has been attained, the text is finalized for submission as a draft Croatian standard (nHRN).

Stage 4: Enquiry stage
The draft Croatian standard (nHRN) is submitted for public enquiry and comment within a period of two months. If technical comments are received, the text is returned to the originating HZN/TO for further study and a revised document will be circulated for public enquiry again as a draft Croatian standard (nHRN).

Stage 5: Approval stage
When no comments are received on the draft Croatian standard (nHRN) during public enquiry or when comments of editorial nature only are received, it is approved as a final draft Croatian standard (nkHRN). The final text (nkHRN) shall be approved as a Croatian standard by the originating HZN/TO.

Stage 6: Publication stage
Once a final text of a Croatian standard has been approved, only minor editorial changes, if and where necessary, may be introduced into the final text. The final text shall be approved for publication of the Croatian standard (HRN).

Review of Croatian standards (Confirmation, Revision, Withdrawal)
Croatian standards are reviewed on a five-year basis by the HZN/TOs which have developed them. Decision as to whether a Croatian standard should be confirmed, revised or withdrawn is taken by majority voting.


See the stage code table for a visual presentation of the development stages.