Guidance on practical aspects of the implementation of Regulation (EU) No. 1025/2012 - Reply to the European Commission consultation of stakeholders

Context and key message

In its communication of 22 November 2018 on harmonised standards, the European Commission announced upcoming guidance on the implementation of Regulation 1025/12 relating to roles and responsibilities in the development process of harmonised standards. On 11 July 2019, the Commission asked stakeholders for input on three specific questions related to this upcoming guidance.

BusinessEurope welcomes the opportunity to comment on future guidance. To ensure that the system for the development of harmonised standards continues to function and to support both free movement of goods in the Single Market and global competitiveness, we recommend the Commission to refrain from assuming additional responsibilities when those affect the roles of other key players in this system. We would like to emphasise that harmonised standards are essentially a compliance tool, and as such cannot be considered as EU law themselves. Before further implementation of any changes to the system for the development of harmonised standards, we therefore recommend an independent assessment of the implications triggered by sector-specific case law.