April 2026: Key Information Technology Standards Released

April 2026 has seen the publication of several pivotal standards in the Information Technology field. Ranging from biometric product requirements and electronic public procurement, to building automation, advanced image coding, and sustainable IT asset management—these new documents deliver comprehensive frameworks and requirements to address evolving digital transformation, security, and sustainability needs. This article covers five significant standards newly released this month, each with practical impact for industry professionals, compliance leads, engineers, and researchers seeking to maintain or enhance their organization's operational excellence.

Overview

Information Technology continues to shape virtually every sector, demanding robust and up-to-date standards to support interoperability, security, compliance, and best practices. The new standards published in April 2026 offer guidance on:

• Biometric product evaluation and profiling
• Streamlined, standardized electronic procurement processes
• Protocol conformance for intelligent building automation systems
• Next-generation image file formats via JPEG XL
• Incorporating sustainability into IT asset management

This article summarizes each of these standards, highlights what’s new, and explains why aligning with them is crucial for modern IT organizations.

Detailed Standards Coverage

CEN/TS 18212-1:2026 – General Requirements and Application Profiles for Biometric Products

Personal identification – Requirements for biometric products – Part 1: General requirements and application profile definition

The CEN/TS 18212-1:2026 technical specification establishes a generic, mode-independent framework for evaluating biometric products. It defines core principles, terminology, and methodologies for biometric system assessments. The standard is applicable across all biometric modalities—facial, fingerprint, iris, etc.—ensuring consistent evaluation regardless of use case.

Scope and Key Requirements

• Evaluation Framework: Outlines the entire biometric product evaluation process, including involved actors (vendors, manufacturers, consumers, conformity assessment bodies), evaluation documentation, and required reporting (such as the Evaluation Technical Report).
• Phased Evaluation: Formalizes stages from interoperability, performance, and vulnerability assessment with defined test types and assurance levels (basic, substantial, high).
• Application Profiles (APs): Introduces the concept of APs—customizable configurations that specify requirements, test cases, evaluation parameters, and acceptance criteria for specific biometric deployments.
• Alignment: Developed in harmony with GDPR principles and draws on related standards like ISO/IEC 17000, EN ISO/IEC 2382-37, and others concerning security and conformity assessment.

Who Should Comply?

• Biometric product manufacturers and vendors
• Service providers deploying biometric systems (e.g., banking, public sector, access control)
• Conformity assessment bodies and testing labs

Implementation Implications

Organizations can use this standard as a basis for creating or certifying their own biometric evaluation schemes, ensuring transparency, auditability, and regulatory alignment (notably GDPR). By following APs tailored for specific scenarios, organizations can better meet diverse stakeholder and security requirements.

Key highlights:

• Comprehensive framework for biometric product assessment
• Phased, metrics-driven evaluation (interoperability, performance, vulnerability)
• Customizable via application profiles to support specific sector needs

Access the full standard:View CEN/TS 18212-1:2026 on iTeh Standards

EN 17016-2:2026 – Electronic Public Procurement: Ordering Transactions

Electronic Public Procurement – Ordering – Part 2: Transactions

EN 17016-2:2026 defines the structure, data models, and business rules for transactions in electronic public procurement ordering. It extends the foundation set in Part 1, specifying detailed requirements for a wide array of order-related transactions ranging from initial order placement to cancellation and confirmation.

Scope and Key Requirements

• 12 Core Transactions: Order, Order Change, Order Cancellation, Order Response Simple, Order Confirmation, Order Rejection, Order Response, Order Change Confirmation, Order Change Rejection, Order Cancellation Confirmation, Order Cancellation Rejection, and Order Agreement.
• Transactional Data Model: Each transaction is backed with a precise data model specifying terms, usage descriptions, and cardinality of information elements.
• Business Requirements & Rules: For each transaction, business needs and operational rules are specified to ensure process integrity, compliance, and reliable automation.
• Compliance and Conformance: Clause 6 sets out exactly how parties can claim compliance or conformance to each transaction type, supporting digital assurance in procurement operations.

Who Should Comply?

• Public sector procurement agencies
• IT providers developing e-procurement systems
• Organizations engaging in electronic tendering, order management, and supplier integration

Implementation Implications

This standard provides a harmonized, interoperable framework for digital ordering in public procurement, reducing errors, increasing process transparency, and ensuring legal defensibility. Adoption leads to streamlined procurement cycles, reduced fraud risk, and lower transaction costs.

Key highlights:

• Standardized set of ordering transactions for digital procurement
• Robust data models and enforceable business rules
• Clarity around compliance and conformance pathways

Access the full standard:View EN 17016-2:2026 on iTeh Standards

EN ISO 16484-6:2026 – Building Automation: Data Communication Conformance Testing

Building automation and control systems (BACS) – Part 6: Data communication conformance testing (ISO 16484-6:2026)

EN ISO 16484-6:2026 delivers a standardized suite of test procedures to verify the conformance of building automation and control system protocols. Its primary reference is the BACnet communications protocol—a key enabler of smart building solutions worldwide.

Scope and Key Requirements

• BACnet PICS Validation: The standard mandates testing each BACnet Profile Implementation Conformance Statement (PICS) claim: initiated and executed services, object support, properties (mandatory and optional), network layer, data link options, and special features.
• Object & Service Support: Specifies requirements and verification procedures for tested support of object types and services in building control environments.
• Holistic Test Protocols: Covers request/response-based, event-based, and property-oriented service testing—including security aspects and device interoperability.
• Documentation: Requires precise reporting to demonstrate and document conformance for stakeholders and certification bodies.

Who Should Comply?

• Manufacturers and developers of building automation components
• Building engineers and systems integrators
• Conformity assessment and testing laboratories

Implementation Implications

Adhering to this standard is critical for assuring and certifying product interoperability, safety, and reliability in intelligent buildings, and is often a prerequisite for participating in large construction or retrofit projects.

Key highlights:

• Comprehensive testing suite for BACnet and associated control layer protocols
• Transparent, repeatable test methods supporting global interoperability
• Conformance reporting aligned with modern building regulatory frameworks

Access the full standard:View EN ISO 16484-6:2026 on iTeh Standards

ISO/IEC 18181-2:2026 – JPEG XL Image Coding System: File Format

Information technology — JPEG XL image coding system — Part 2: File format

ISO/IEC 18181-2:2026 sets the globally recognized specification for the JPEG XL file format, supporting advanced, efficient image storage and delivery for web, broadcast, and archival use. It details the structure for embedding both codestreams and rich metadata.

Scope and Key Requirements

• File Structure: Defines both box-based and raw-codestream formats; supports essential and optional features for various use cases.
• Metadata & Extensions: Specifies how to include Exif, XML, HDR gain maps, embedded thumbnails, and other metadata or multimedia extensions through standardized box types (JUMBF). Supports Brotli compression for enhanced efficiency.
• Interoperability: Ensures JPEG XL files interoperate across platforms and devices; provides forward compatibility for future extensions.
• Media Type: Officially registers image/jxl as the MIME type for integration into web, mobile, and desktop environments.

Who Should Comply?

• Developers of imaging software, digital asset management platforms
• Photographic equipment and scanner manufacturers
• Web and media content publishers

Implementation Implications

Switching to JPEG XL offers organizations improved performance, backwards compatibility with legacy JPEG assets, reduced bandwidth, and better support for HDR and image-rich workflows.

Key highlights:

• Innovative, modular image file format specification
• Advanced metadata support, HDR, and modern compression options
• Meets the needs of both content creators and archival professionals

Access the full standard:View ISO/IEC 18181-2:2026 on iTeh Standards

ISO/IEC TS 19770-13:2026 – Sustainable IT Asset Management Guidance

Information technology — IT asset management — Part 13: Guidance on the incorporation of sustainability aspects in an IT asset management system

ISO/IEC TS 19770-13:2026 offers detailed guidance for embedding sustainability principles into IT Asset Management Systems (ITAMS). Reflecting increased global focus on ESG (environmental, social, governance) practices, it helps organizations plan, implement, and improve sustainable IT asset strategies.

Scope and Key Requirements

• Sustainable ITAM Framework: Recommends best practices for integrating resource efficiency, environmental protection, and social responsibility into ITAM lifecycle management.
• Supplier and Service Conduct: Addresses sustainability for IT suppliers and service providers (human rights, labor standards, governance).
• Resource Consumption & Life Cycle: Provides practical advice on measuring and reducing the material, energy, and infrastructure consumption of IT assets. Offers guidance on maintainability, repairability, compatibility, recyclability, and scalability.
• Continual Improvement: Outlines metrics, monitoring, risk assessment, stakeholder engagement, and continual improvement cycles for sustainable ITAM.

Who Should Comply?

• IT asset managers and sustainability officers
• Organizations aiming for ESG compliance or reporting
• IT procurement and risk management professionals

Implementation Implications

Applying this technical specification supports compliance with broader sustainability frameworks (ISO 14001, 26000, 50001, GHG Protocol) and strengthens both operational efficiency and stakeholder trust.

Key highlights:

• Practical roadmap for sustainable IT asset governance
• Supports decarbonization and ESG integration
• Applicable to all organizations, regardless of size or ITAM maturity

Access the full standard:View ISO/IEC TS 19770-13:2026 on iTeh Standards

Industry Impact & Compliance

The publication of these new standards marks significant progress for organizations striving for compliance, interoperability, and best-in-class IT management. Key considerations include:

• Compliance Timelines: Staying ahead of regulatory obligations, especially for biometrics (GDPR), procurement (public sector directives), and IT sustainability (ESG reporting).
• Operational Efficiency: Standardized frameworks and transactional models reduce errors, lower integration costs, and improve automation and decision making.
• Competitive Edge: Certification and conformance provide differentiation in marketplaces increasingly driven by digital trust and sustainability.
• Risk Mitigation: Guidance on lifecycle management, security evaluation, and sustainable practices reduce operational, reputational, and regulatory risks.

Organizations should review the scope and timelines for transition or initial compliance now, engaging with internal and external stakeholders to realize maximum benefit.

Technical Insights

While each standard fulfills a distinct role, several technical themes recur:

• Interoperability: Foundational for all—requiring conformance testing (BACS), harmonized data models (procurement), and flexible file or metadata structures (JPEG XL, biometrics).
• Lifecycle Management: Lifecycle principles echo across sustainable ITAM, BACS, and biometric evaluations—calling for maintainability, continual improvement, and risk-based audits.
• Testing and Conformance: In-depth testing is a cross-standard requirement—from BACnet protocol implementation to biometric product assessment and transactional conformance in procurement.
• Reporting, Metrics, and Assurance: Emphasis on keeping transparent records, aligning with recognized certification and continuous monitoring standards, provides the backbone for auditability and improvement.
• Security and Data Protection: New biometric requirements and secure procurement transactions are designed around contemporary legal, privacy, and cybersecurity requirements.

Best Practices for Implementation:

1. Gap Analysis: Assess current systems and processes against new standard requirements.
2. Training: Ensure all relevant staff understand both technical and compliance-related aspects of each standard.
3. Automation: Leverage IT solutions to maintain compliance, particularly for complex areas like procurement and asset management.
4. Certification Preparation: Plan for independent testing or self-attestation as required (especially for BACnet/BACS and biometrics).
5. Stakeholder Engagement: Involve internal audit, compliance, IT, and sustainability officers early in adoption planning.

Conclusion / Next Steps

With the publication of these new Information Technology standards, organizations have the latest guidance to:

• Improve biometric and identity management system reliability and security
• Standardize and streamline electronic procurement processes
• Assure interoperability and robustness in building automation platforms
• Leverage modern image coding formats for efficiency and new features
• Integrate sustainability and ESG objectives into IT asset stewardship

Recommendations:

• Review these standards in detail and benchmark your current operations
• Assess compliance gaps, particularly in regulated or high-stakes environments
• Begin aligning procurement, asset management, and IT projects with the frameworks outlined
• Explore available toolkits and certification paths for each area
• Stay engaged with international standards bodies and platforms like iTeh Standards for future updates and guidance

Proactive adoption of these standards will help future-proof your organization's IT strategies, boost compliance, and unlock new value streams in an increasingly connected, digital, and sustainability-conscious world.