A strategic vision for European standards

For the sustainable growth of the European economy 2020

European standardisation was extremely successful and one of the driving factors of the creation of the internal market for goods. European standards replace national and often conflicting standards which, as such, may create technical impediments to a national market.

The standardisation strategy presented on 1 June 2011 by Vice-President Antonio Tajani plays an important part in supporting the Europe 2020 Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. Measures include actions to be taken by the Commission and a series of recommendations addressed to other actors in the European standardisation system.

The most important steps that the Commission took today to strengthen the system of standard-setting in Europe and to implement the commitments of the Europe 2020 flagships, Industrial policy, Innovation Union, Digital Agenda and Internal market Act are the following:

- Europe will push for more international standards in those economic sectors where Europe is a global leader;

- High-tech products are often sold in combination with maintenance services. Although there are many European standards for products, there are hardly any for services. Therefore, more market-driven European standards for services could be developed giving companies commercial advantages;

- To propose a light and fast way to recognise the increasingly important ICT standards developed by global ICT standards development organisations, such as those underpinning the internet, to be used  in public procurement, EU policies and legislation. This will stimulate innovation, cut administrative overheads and build a truly digital society by encouraging interoperability between devices, applications, data repositories, services and networks.

- The Commission will enhance its cooperation with the leading standardisation organisations in Europe (i.e. CEN, CENELEC and ETSI) so that their standards will be available more rapidly. Businesses using these standards can make their products more compatible with other products so that consumers will have a broader choice at a lower price;

- European standards will be drafted with the help of organisations representing those most affected, or most concerned – consumers, small businesses, environmental and social organisations.

Vladimíra Drbalová
International Organisations and EU Affairs