Successful SBS-ECOS seminar on the use of standards in policy
The first panel was entitled ‘Standards for the free movement of goods: the inconvenient truth?’ Participants included SBS, trade unions, academics, the European Commission and the German Government. The discussion looked at how standards are used and evaluated by policy-makers in the context of the Single Market and whether there are any loopholes in the New Approach. The panel also considered the involvement of lawmakers in developing standards.
The second panel was entitled ‘The use of standards in policy: is there a perfect match?’ Participants included the president of the ECOS and representatives from universities, the European Commission, the Belgian Government, the European Committee for standardisation (CEN) and the European Committee for Electrotechnical standardisation (CENELEC). The panel discussed whether and how standards should be used to support policy-making in contexts outside the Single Market for goods.
The seminar’s main conclusion was that the CJEU ruling was not entirely clear on the legal situation. As a result, there is a need for trust and confidence in the process and its outcomes, with transparency and inclusiveness at all levels, plus proper control and monitoring of the system as a whole.
Download the follow-up documents.
First meeting of the High-Level Institutional Dialogue
Véronique Willems of UEAPME and Christel Davidson from SBS attended as SME representatives. While Ms Willems stressed the importance of capacity building, Ms Davidson insisted on the fact that SMEs are not always in a position to participate in the standardisation process. Therefore, the process must be designed to ensure that SMEs’ interests are taken into account: this includes whenever possible the development of relevant tools, such as a SME compatibility test for standards.
StandICT.eu opens its second call for ICT standardisation experts
The second of 10 cycles of open calls was launched on 5 June 2018. Professionals with proven expertise and experience in standardisation activities have until 4 August this year to send their application and to receive funding for their contribution to standards development, as chair or member of a standards development organisation.
This second call follows the priority areas outlined in the 2018 Rolling Plan for ICT Standardisation. These are 5G (the newest generation of wireless systems), Cloud Computing (the technology that helps to store and access data and programs over the Internet), Internet of Things, Cybersecurity and Big Data.
For more information about the open call, click here.
SBS increases its participation in the Notified Bodies – Lifts
However, the core purpose of the meeting was the renewal of the tasks of the ad-hoc working groups by the NB-L President, Mr Franck Lesage. After having presented the tasks, he appointed SBS to the ad-hoc working group “Lifts”, the most important one under the NB-L coordination. From now on, SBS will monitor the activities of this group and work on steering its decision in favour of SMEs, starting from the application of all Essential Health and Safety Requirements of the Lifts Directives for the certification of safety components.
Successful intervention of SBS at the meetings of Notified Bodies on PPE standardisation
One of these technical sheets referred to a 5-years limit for test reports that is not prescribed by the PPE Regulation and that would cause unnecessary costs for manufacturers, with SMEs clearly most impacted. Thanks to the SBS intervention, the document was withdrawn and its content will be redrafted to provide meaningful guidance to manufacturers.
Other discussions concerned the transitional period from the old PPE Directive to the new Regulation. It was reaffirmed that, until 20 April 2019, both regimes will be applicable, while national market surveillance authorities raised several questions about the validity of European Commission-type examination certificates.