Arbeidsprogram for europeisk standardisering for 2015

Arbeidsprogram for europeisk standardisering for 2015

Meddelelse fra Kommisjonen til Europaparlamentet, Rådet og Den europeiske økonomiske og sosiale komite. Unionens årlige arbeidsprogram for europeiske standardisering for 2015
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council and the European Economic and Social Committee The annual Union work programme for European standardisation for 2015

Meddelelse lagt fram av Kommisjonen 30.07.2014

Nærmere omtale

BAKGRUNN (fra kommisjonsmeddelelsen, engelsk utgave)

Europe’s goal is to create growth and jobs in a smart, sustainable and inclusive way through the Europe 2020 strategy and its flagship initiatives. The importance of standardisation for jobs, growth and economic recovery was reiterated in the

Commission’s Industrial Policy Communication “For a European Industrial Renaissance”, which stressed the need for the European standardisation system to contribute in the field of industrial policy, innovation and technological development. It identified six fast-growing areas for priority action: advanced manufacturing technologies, key enabling technologies, bio-based products, sustainable industrial policy, construction and raw materials, clean vehicles, and smart grids.

The positive effects of standardisation are well known and recognised. However to

ensure that Europe’s standardisation system can meet today’s challenges, the Commission proposed a reform package in 2011 including a new Regulation on European standardisation which took effect from 1 January 2013. This reform aimed at increasing the system’s inclusiveness, speed, responsiveness, transparency, flexibility and scope.

One innovation of the reform is the obligation for the Commission to adopt an annual Union work programme for European standardisation (hereinafter referred to as "UWP"), which identifies strategic priorities for European standardisation on the basis of the policy objectives set by the Commission in its planning. This Communication, which is adopted for the second year running, identifies those priority domains where the Commission has intentions to use European standardisation as a policy tool in support of the Union's new or existing legislation and policies in the course of 2015. The intentions may lead in the future to formal standardisation requests (mandates) to the European standardisation organisations (ESOs) – CEN, CENELEC and ETSI, however leaving room also for standardisation related preliminary or ancillary actions invited or initiated by the Commission without mandates.

Considering the private nature of European standardisation the practical implementation (i.e. standardisation) of all these priorities and actions remain always under the responsibility, willingness and discretion of the ESOs. The role of the Commission remains to initiate European standardisation activities through standardisation requests or other actions and providing Union funding for European standardisation where it supports Union's priorities.

The orientations indicated in the work programme do not have a budgetary impact over and above of what is already foreseen for the year 2015. The outcome of negotiations for the 2014-2020 European Financial Framework has been a serious reduction of the Commission’s budget. This has an impact on the annual budget and in 2014 the budget line for standardisation has been reduced by 25,56% from 2013. Consequently, the challenge is to share this burden among the different kinds of expenditure and organisations, keeping in mind the strategic objectives of the Union’s standardisation policy.

The publication of this Union work programme increases efficiency and transparency and facilitates a better forward planning of standardisation work.

The Commission has launched at the end of 2013 the Independent review of the European standardisation system. The first phase of the report which concerns the fact finding has been completed in June. The next phase concerns analysis of the facts and the conclusions. The results will be available by the end of the year.

The results of the Independent review will be considered by the Commission in its reports pursuant to articles 24 and 25 of the Regulation4 which it will submit to the European Parliament and to the Council in 2015.

Some items of the 2014 UWP have been taken over in this document, setting the priorities for 2015. These items have been identified in continuous and consensual discussions with the European Standardisation Organisations also involving other stakeholders. In addition, some standards in support of EU legislation still depend on adoption of the acts they will be based upon by the co-legislator. As a result the Commission proposes a rescheduling of some items already listed in the 2014 UWP