The AFNOR standard: what is it?

Like international organizations and European commissions, AFNOR is the body whose purpose is to develop and implement standards in France.

The importance of standards

Standards play a predominant role in our society. Indeed, they are what frame and define best practices to be implemented in every professional field, while setting the necessary limits and restrictions. They are designed to establish quality, performance and safety criteria to be met by all products and services on the market; in particular, to best support companies in their quality approach, but also to protect consumers and enable them to be better informed about what they buy. Indeed, the NF (Norme Française) mark affixed to a product guarantees that it is a controlled solution, and therefore reliable and legitimate; and as such constitutes an additional assurance on which the consumer can rely.

Thus, rather than relying solely on consumer reviews, which can sometimes be a questionable and unverifiable source of information, these rigorous standards assure you that the company, product or service in question meets specific requirements. Click here to buy AFNOR-certified e-liquids at Le Vapoteur Discount.

AFNOR standards

The AFNOR standard contributes to the development of a reference framework by establishing best practices in all professional sectors (food industry, transport and logistics, construction, health and workplace safety, engineering, consumer goods, etc.). Depending on the sector in question, the AFNOR standard can take different forms. It may, for example, be a technical standard that certifies that a company meets specific quality criteria and is fully qualified to carry out a service. These standards can also serve to improve your productivity and performance by optimizing your management system (ISO 9001). Furthermore, certain other standards may aim to promote the adoption of new, increasingly environmentally friendly practices, as is the case with ISO 14001 or 26000 standards.

Voluntary standards

In all cases, AFNOR standards are described as voluntary application standards, as they are the result of a consensus among professionals and users in the relevant professional sector. Any organization is therefore free to choose whether or not to comply with them; which implies on one hand a quality vector that can add value for the company, but also responsibilities. Indeed, an auditor periodically checks the proper implementation of these standards internally, to ensure that the company in question is honoring its commitments. If a company wishes to adopt a new standard, it can request that an auditor intervene to assess the feasibility of the project. 

It is worth knowing that every 5 years, standards are reviewed and revised as needed, to ensure they still effectively address the challenges of the industry, which are constantly evolving. A company wishing to update its AFNOR certification then receives a visit from an external auditor who comes to audit and list the recommendations that need to be implemented, so that it can comply with the new requirements in force.

Mandatory standards

Although it is up to each organization to choose whether or not to adopt a standard, it should be noted that some standards are, for their part, of mandatory application. Indeed, certain sectors of activity are required to apply standards for reasons of general interest, particularly relating to safety, hygiene or health. For example, the electrical installations of any new building must necessarily comply with the requirements of the NF C 15-100 standard, in order to enhance their safety and make their management more comfortable. However, these mandatory standards represent only a tiny fraction of the full range of existing French standards (less than 1%).

AFNOR standards governing the electronic cigarette market

Since their arrival on the French market, the electronic cigarette and its associated products (e-liquids, etc.) have been the subject of numerous controversies. This is why, in order to reassure users about the origin, quality and safety of these products, AFNOR voluntary application standards were introduced. In 2020, the European Commission says YES to the electronic cigarette!

The first standards (2015)

In 2015, the first two certifications relating to the vaping industry were published. These are the XP D90-300-1 and XP D90-300-2 standards. These bring together the maximum number of recommendations and cover the entire distribution chain; namely, manufacturers, experimental laboratories, suppliers and distributors alike. Even though they are not mandatory, they represent an undeniable asset for retailers, since consumers will naturally tend to turn towards standardized products.

• The XP D90-300-1 standard: it focuses on the electronic cigarette and the potential risks it presents. In order to guarantee the safety of vapers and the legitimacy of manufacturers, AFNOR uses this standard to prevent the risk of overheating of such electronic equipment. A system aimed at limiting vaporization, as well as various laboratory tests to ensure that the device is not dangerous, have notably been put in place.
  
  
• The XP D90-300-2 standard: this standard is specific to e-liquids. It sets out a precise list of prohibited substances. Furthermore, it emphasizes that e-liquids must be manufactured in France and comply with rigorous manufacturing rules to ensure their composition presents no health risks.

Furthermore, these two standards require complete transparency for consumers, who must be able to easily access essential information about vape products and be able to find out about any recommendations, risks, nicotine doses, the exact composition of products, usage instructions, origin, or the identity of the manufacturer.

The new standards (2016 – 2018) 

Since 2016, new standards have emerged. 

• The XP D90-300-3 standard: this standard relates to laboratory emission tests, in order to determine the long-term dangers of vaping.
  
  
• The D90-301 standard: a quality standard that electronic cigarette retailers can adopt to certify that they are able to properly assist customers and provide them with all the necessary information, advising them as best as possible on the product best suited to their needs.
  
  
• The ISO 20768 standard: this latest standard defines the conditions of use of a vaping machine. It also sets out a list of specific requirements to be met for control analyses.