EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Τετ 12/10/2022 16:19
COMMISSION WELCOMES POLITICAL AGREEMENT TO IMPROVE THE GOVERNANCE AND INTEGRITY OF THE EUROPEAN STANDARDISATION SYSTEM
Brussels, 12 October 2022
The Commission welcomes the political agreement reached today between the European Parliament and EU Member States on the amendment to the European Standardisation Regulation, proposed by the Commission as part of the Standardisation Strategy presented on 2 February 2022. Trilogue negotiations have now concluded, paving the way for final approval of the legal text by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union.
Executive Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age, Margrethe Vestager, said: “This agreement will make European standards fit for the green and digital transitions. Ensuring that data is protected in artificial intelligence or ensuring a mobile device to be secure from hacking, rely on standards. So they must be in line with our democratic values. In the same vein, we need standards for the roll-out of important investment projects, like hydrogen or batteries. And we need to valorise innovation investment by providing EU companies with an important first-mover advantage.”
Commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton, said: “I am pleased with the swift conclusion of the negotiations only eight months after the Commission proposal. With the agreement reached today, we are taking an important step in putting the EU Standardisation Strategy into practice. We are strengthening the integrity of the European standardisation process, putting the national standardisation bodies in the EU, their local stakeholder communities and the European interest at the centre. This will help reinforce Europe's role as a global standard-setter.”
The Standardisation Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 sets the framework for the European standardisation process, allowing the Commission to mandate the three European Standardisation Organisations (ESOs) – CEN, CENELEC and ETSI – to develop European standards in support of EU legislation. The amendment foresees that, when the Commission requests standards from these organisations, key decisions in the standards-development process are taken by the national standardisation bodies from the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA). These national standardisation bodies are best placed to ensure an inclusive process with balanced stakeholder consultation and with due respect for EU values. This is particularly important in strategic areas, such as cybersecurity or hydrogen. The three European Standardisation Organisations will need to put in place administrative and good governance principles, which will enhance the openness, transparency and inclusiveness of the standardisation processes. In particular, they will draw on the expertise from all relevant parties, including industry, SMEs, civil organisations and academia.
Next Steps
The European Parliament and the Council will now formally have to adopt the new Regulation before it can enter into force. Afterwards, the European standardisation organisations will have 6 months to implement the governance changes to their internal statutes.
Background
Standards are the foundation of the EU Single Market and global competitiveness. They help manufacturers ensure the interoperability of products and services, reduce costs, improve safety and foster innovation. Standards are an invisible but fundamental part of our daily life: from Wi-Fi frequencies, to connected toys or ski bindings, for example. Standards give confidence that a product or a service is fit for purpose, is safe and will not harm people or the environment.
Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 provides a legal basis to use European standards for products and services, identify ICT technical specifications, and finance the European standardisation process. A harmonised standard is a European standard developed by a recognised European Standards Organisation (CEN, CENELEC or ETSI) following a request from the European Commission. Once accepted, these standards become part of EU law and provide manufacturers using them across the Single Market with a presumption of conformity with the requirements of EU legislation, helping to reduce costs for small businesses. The process is based on a public-private-partnership between the Commission and the standardisation community, where the division of roles and responsibilities is guided by the 2012 Standardisation Regulation.
The Commission proposed to amend the Regulation as part of its European Standardisation Strategy of 2 February 2022.
For More Information
Proposal for a Regulation amending Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 as regards the decisions of European standardisation organisations concerning European standards and European standardisation deliverables
An EU Strategy on Standardisation: Setting global standards in support of a resilient, green and digital EU Single Market
The 2022 annual Union work programme for European standardisation
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European standardisation system political agreement
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