Services Standards: Defining the Core Consumer Elements ... - ANEC

Services Standards
The comparison of the French and the German standard, AFNOR project NF X-
50-056 services for resident people and DIN 77800 Assisted living for the
elderly demonstrates a relatively different approach on how to manage the precontractual
stage. The French standard contains a lot of human rights rhetoric,
meant to maintain and to respect the autonomy of the person. The “legal”
expression of this rhetoric is the explicit guarantee of freedom of contract. The
German approach is much more technical and, in a way, legalistic. The
standard resembles a legal text. However despite the national cultural
differences in approaching the issue, both standards have much in common.
Somewhat simplistically one might argue that they avoid presenting the
message at the pre-contractual stage in a clear legal format. From a legal point
of view, the standards would have to clearly distinguish between advertising,
pre-contractual information, content of the contract and the like. These different
steps should be presented in clear-cut headings. The contrary is true. The
messages which bear a legal character, are shaped along the lines of what
standardisers believe to be the psychology of the client.
Accessibility of
the service
Freedom to
contract (choice)
Smart house
services for
elderly and
disabled
people
NEN/SN
(project),
Residential
homes for
elderly people
AFNOR
(project)
and AFNOR NF
X 50-058
AFNOR NF X
50-058
5.2.7.1. respect
decision to leave
the residential
home
Services for
resident people
(project)
and
AFNOR NF X
50-056
CEN/CENELEC
Guide 6
Guidelines for
standard
developers to
address the
needs of older
persons and
persons with
disabilities
Assisted living
for the elderly
DIN 77800
141