On 6 October, the European Commission published the proposal for a new Standardisation Regulation, intended to replace the current Regulation 1025/2012 as the backbone of the European standardisation system.
While SBS fully supports the stated objectives to improve the responsiveness of the European standardisation system, its inclusiveness and European positioning in international standardisation, our reaction to the actual proposal is mixed at best. Indeed, several areas of the proposal require adaptations and clarifications to effectively deliver for SMEs and not roll back some of the improvements achieved through Regulation 1025/2012 on European standardisation.
A point of particular concern regards the possible reduction of scope and impact of the European stakeholders’ associations under Annex II, exclusively to standardisation work carried out in support of EU legislation and policy priority, compared to the current scope which includes all European and international standardisation activity.
This is not a minor administrative issue. The vast majority of standards with significant economic implications for SMEs are industry-driven European standards or are developed at international level. It is crucial to recognise and tangibly support the strategic impact of standards as a tool for competitiveness and growth for SMEs, beyond just compliance with EU legislation and policy objectives…