STANDARDISATION: a versatile support tool for

European policies

Didier HERBERT European Commission

DG GROW

Acting Director

Didier.Herbert@ec.europa.eu

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Structure of the presentation

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1) Setting the scene

2) European Standardisation System (ESS):

basic values – organisation

3) European Commission's 2-fold interest in standardisation:

generic benefits - policy tool

4) Safeguards for use of standards in public domain

5) Proposals for co-operation

Standards – examples

Type of standards

Product, process & services • measurement • quality • performance

Standard: "agreed way of doing something"

Formal standard definitions: ISO and EN

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European Standardisation System (basic values)

• Industry-driven, privately organised

• "National delegation principle" (CEN,CENELEC)

• Inclusiveness of the standardisation process

• WTO/TBT - Code of Good practice (Annex 3,TBT Agreement)

• Link to international standardisation

• Voluntary compliance

bottom-up!

close to local needs

value-based

acces to global markets

innovation-friendly

• Coherent & consistent system

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Coherent & consistent system:

1 EN identical in 28 + 3 = 31 countries

European standard (EN) identical transposition

into

national standards by

National Standards Bodies

28 NSB of EU MS + 3 EFTA

Withdrawal of conflicting

national standards

Assured through ESOs' membership rules 5

European Standardisation System

ISO

IEC

ITU

European Committee

for Standardisation – roof organisation:

NSBs - EU Member States + EFTA

European Committee for Electrotechnical

Standardisation – roof organisation:

NSBs - EU Member States + EFTA

• European Telecommunications

• Standards Institute – roof organisation:

• for industry (direct partnership)

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world-wide co-operation: non-European NSBs & regional standarisation organisations

EC - 2-fold interest in standardisation

2) specific interest

Standardisation as policy tool

1) generic benefits

• economic growth • innovation • quality

• support to industrial policies

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… as the 2 two facets of a coin

Standardisation – impact

1) macroeconomic – positive impact on drivers for economic growth:

- technical change including innovation - competitiveness - international trade

2) one of the elements of national quality infrastructure: contribution to "quality"

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Standardisation - innovation process

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Innovation management: CEN/TS 1655 series (2013)

EC - 2-fold interest in standardisation

2) specific interest:

standardisation as policy tool

1) generic benefits • economic growth • innovation • quality

• support to industrial policies

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the 2 two facets of a coin

DG GROW FLAGSHIP

Internal Market product legislation

standard-supported, industry & innovation- friendly

2/3 of traded value

"New Approach" law-making technique:

• Legislator essential requirements (ER) • Standardisation tailor-made EN(s)

matching the legal ER

free circulation of potentially dangerous goods representing 2/3 of the value of traded goods

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DG GROW FLAGSHIP:

Internal Market product legislation

instead of 28 EU MS issuing individual national regulations

EU Internal Market: 30 EU Technical Regulations for potentially dangerous product (non-food) 4000 harmonised European standards provide for industry- and innovation-friendliness

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Use of standards in public domain: safeguards

• 1985, 2003 COOPERATION GUIDELINES - CEN, CENELEC AND ETSI & EC and EFTA

• COM (2011)- 311: A strategic vision for European

standards (suggestions legal/others )

• 2012 REGULATION (EU) No 1025/2012 on European standardisation (covering all aspects of standardisation important for EC policy)

• 2014/15 on-going Independent Review as reality check

public enquiry & vote:

standards thus adopted are distinct

from other technical specifications EC can request standard develoment

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Synthesis – main issues addressed

European Standardisation System – values & organisation

EC 2-fold interest in standardisation:

- generic benfits of standardisation

- standards as policy tool (role of standards regarding EU IM / New-Appraoch type of prodcut legislation)

Now: Proposals for future co-operation

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Proposals for co-operation

Project-type: "Expert in European standardisation seconded to LATAM

countries"

- mutual understanding of the standardisation systems in place

- systematic identification of cooperation opportunites at bi-lateral or

international (ISO, IEC) level

LATAM countries’ interest in specific standardisation areas

- product sectors covered by "New Approach"

- novel areas for joint standard development in support of political agendas

LATAM contries' interest for topical seminars as mentioned in the presentation

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Find solution to problem: lack of a common platform for organising the co-

operation - only a few of the participating countries are members of ASOCIACION

MERCOSUR DE NORMALIZACION

Your contact at the European Commission sends his greetings:

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Cyrill DIRSCHERL

Policy Co-ordinator

+32 2 29 64928 cyrill.dirscherl@ec.europa.eu

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Thank you for your attention…