Ιούλ82019

Joint declaration on standardisation system

Construction products manufacturers and contractors have published a joint declaration on the European standardisation system. The declaration highlights in particular the problems that have been created by the backlog in the citation of harmonised standards in the Official Journal of the European Union.  Amongst other problems, this includes great confusion in the market place regarding the status of recent new and/or updated standards, obtained in good faith – and in use  – but not yet having a legal value, because they have not been cited. This means that these standards cannot be relied upon and users face a lack of legal certainty, with all the associated risks that poses. The declaration calls for immediate solutions pending any eventual revision of the Construction Products Regulation (CPR). The construction sector cannot wait for the end of the review process, which is still ongoing.
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Consultation on the revision of the “Machinery” Directive

The European Commission has launched and open consultation on the revision of the “Machinery” Directive (2006/42/EC) with a deadline for providing input by 30/8/2019.

The proposed revision would aim at :

  • aligning the Directive with EU harmonised legislation on product health and safety, and
  • tackling the challenges that may arise from technical progress in digitisation.

The Commission is envisaging also to turn the Directive into a Regulation.

This Directive aims at the free market circulation on machinery and at the protection of workers and consumers using such machinery. It defines essential health and safety requirements of general application, supplemented by a number of more specific requirements for certain categories of machinery.
This initiative can therefore have a significant impact on contractors and on their responsibilities/liability. FIEC therefore envisages to set up a dedicated Working Group, in order to follow the developments and to undertake the appropriate actions.

 

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A vision for the European industry until 2030

On 27th June, the high level industrial roundtable submitted its report on “a vision for the European industry until 2030” to the European Commission. This roundtable of 20 experts from the business and academic worlds was established by the European Commission in December 2017 to provide independent advice on future EU industrial policy action.
Innovation and sustainability, anticipating and developing skills, deepening value chain networks, creating a fair competitive environment, taking into account well-being and social justice, are the five main principles to be followed to revitalise the sector by 2030, according to the report.

In order to implement this vision, the report calls on the following strategic actions:
– Manage a fast and inclusive transformation: design an appropriate ecosystem stimulating innovation and technology uptake; accelerate the transformation towards climate-neutral, circular and resource-efficient industry; ensure reliable access to sufficient and affordable low carbon energy and raw materials supply, while respecting planetary boundaries; boost the EU digital economy; finance the transition.

– Champion global competitiveness: ensure a greater role for the Single Market to benefit from a continent-wide market; strengthen strategic value chains; lead in an open, fair, multilateral trading system; take global action for EU industrial leadership.

– Address social inclusiveness and values: ensure social fairness of industrial transition; spread benefits of the transformation in European regions; build a learning society anticipating and developing skills; ensure co-ownership and inclusive governance for the transformation; build an enabling environment for more sustainable business activities.

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