The carrier pigeons are returning with the comments (some are back even more quickly than the mes-sengers on horseback). Once the pigeons have all been gathered in the courtyard of Fort DIN and re-warded with an extra portion of grain feed, it's time to evaluate the messages.
Anyone may submit comments on the draft standard at the public enquiry stage. The comments can be submitted either on a form provided for the purpose, or via the online web portals available in many countries (www.din.de/de/mitwirken/norm-entwurfs-portal in Germany).
Comments are divided into three groups. Technical comments (te) have the purpose of commenting on the content of the standard, for example when a different solution is preferred for reducing a hazard, or when the requirements formulated in the standard are considered technically incorrect or inadequate. General comments (ge) relate to the entire standard or to a dominant aspect of the draft. Finally, edito-rial comments (ed) concern aspects such as incorrect translation, poor comprehensibility, or spelling and grammatical errors in the standard.
The title page of each draft standard states the committee to which comments must be submitted. It also states the deadline for comments.
Anyone submitting a comment before the deadline must be invited to a comments resolution meeting, at which those raising objections can explain their comments to the responsible parties on the standards committee. One practical tip: the likelihood of a comment being accepted is increased considerably if it includes a concrete proposal for an amendment.
