The New Legislative Framework (NLF) evaluation: provisional comments

Key messages

• BusinessEurope considers the NLF as a great success and a key instrument of a functioning Single Market, broadly fit for purpose and able to address new aspects of a digital environment and green policy objectives, therefore it is crucial to preserve the existing concepts and strengths of the NLF.
• While in the light of modern supply chains the present assessment of the NLF is timely, and if targeted adjustments are absolutely necessary, BusinessEurope considers that any action should strictly follow the principles of better regulation.
• The basic NLF principles of separation of the essential requirements laid down in product legislation, on one hand, and description of their technical realization according to the state of the art in product-specific voluntary standards, on the other, should be preserved; for the framework to bring benefits to businesses and society at large, the NLF assessment should seize this opportunity to urgently revise the Commission’s practice of treating harmonized standards as part of the EU law.