Goals and proposals for improving European standardisation

Euralarm has signed a joint industry paper on the evaluation of Regulation (EU) 1025/2012 on European Standardisation.

The paper, signed by several industry representatives, aims to support the EU Strategy on Standardisation’s objective of making the European standardisation system more functional and agile.

The signatories suggest that the evaluation of Regulation (EU) 1025/2012 presents an opportunity to enhance transparency, scrutiny, and democratic values in European standardisation.

They also advocate for greater flexibility in European standardisation on an international stage to give European industry a competitive advantage.

To achieve these goals, the signatories propose introducing transparent rules for formal objections and timelines for the standardisation process.

They also suggest setting clear procedures for defining transition periods for Harmonised European Standards (hEN) and ensuring the regular publication of new hENs in the Official Journal of the EU.

Enhancing the process for formal objections

The joint paper emphasizes the importance of formal objections as a last resort when significant gaps in requirements are identified in harmonised standards.

The signatories highlight the need for improvements in the current system, which they describe as sometimes lacking transparency.

They propose more technical discussions during the process for formal objections, which would involve technical experts in the responsible European Standardisation Organisation (ESO) and authorities behind the objection.

The paper suggests that such dialogue could lead to more efficient and accurate decision-making and potentially reduce the need for formal objections.

It also notes that this approach could expedite the process and reduce the time and resources needed from all involved stakeholders.

Proposals for transition periods and long-term planning

The signatories call for clear and transparent rules for determining transition periods for new, amended, or superseded hENs.

They argue that current fixed transition periods, such as the 18-month period for hENs in the machinery sector, are often not aligned with international standards.

This misalignment can lead to competitiveness issues for European standards.

The paper proposes allowing the European Commission to determine the length of transition periods based on the actual impact of the hEN and stakeholder input.

This flexibility would help maintain the competitiveness of European standards on a global scale and ensure that European industry can efficiently transition to new standards.

Summary and future steps

The joint industry paper concludes by affirming the value of the European standardisation system and its collaboration with the legislative framework.

The signatories express their support for a limited amendment of Regulation (EU) 1025/2012 to improve transparency, efficiency, and predictability in the standardisation process.

They believe these changes will strengthen the resilience and competitiveness of the European standardisation system and help maintain its leading role on the international stage.