Standards and design codes are necessary to guarantee the desired safety and performance of structures. With regard to timber structures, considerable differences exist in the standards and design codes between Europe and Japan. In this contribution the framework of standards and design codes in Europe and Japan is explained and compared. As an example, the particular situation on the evaluation of new types of self-tapping screws is discussed in depth. The building tradition in the different countries is presented taking into account the ongoing technological developments. Potential optimization of different standards is suggested.