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    Small Business Standards (SBS) is the voice of European SMEs in the standardisation process.

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    Standards are everywhere and cover many topics, products and services. From quality management systems and tattooing services to screw head sizes or safety of childcare articles or machinery.

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    SBS has developed a test for the assessment of the compatibility of standards with SME needs. Test a standard to see if it can be easily applied by smaller companies!

    Useful External Resources

    Discover the information and services that standards bodies offer SMEs to facilitate their access to standards and  standardisation.In 2010, CEN and CENELEC adopted the so-called Guide 17, a list of recommendations that standards makers should consider when writing standards to ensure they meet SME needs. The guide was also adopted by ISO and IEC in 2016. Guide 17 is available in several European languages.

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    In this section, we provide you with the latest SME standardisation-related developments.

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Commission interpretation on placing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) category III products on the market burdens SMEs

Commission interpretation on placing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) category III products on the market burdens SMEs

Commission interpretation on placing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) category III products on the market burdens SMEs

Brussels, 23 May 2023 – Small Business Standards (SBS) today published a position paper highlighting the obstacles that emerge from the European Commission’s interpretation disclosed on 2 May 2022 regarding conformity assessment procedures for new PPE category III products. According to SBS, the new reading hinders European SMEs from placing this type of equipment onto the market.

Read our latest press release.

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Views and opinions expressed are those of Small Business Standards (SBS) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or EFTA. Neither the European Union nor EFTA can be held responsible for them.