The European Commission recently proposed a broad package of measures to assure a smoother functioning of the internal market for goods.

This makes it easier for companies, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises, to market products in the European Union while assuring a high level of safety and quality. For industrial goods which are already subject of EU-legislation it is suggested to establish a system of market surveillance which is built upon the existing system for consumer products. Furthermore cooperation between national accreditation bodies should be re-enforced and new rules to enhance confidence and trust in the CE mark are proposed. A common legal framework, build on simple common definitions and procedures for the marketing of industrial products, will serve as a toolbox for future sectoral legislation. These measures will have an impact on 22 industrial sectors, representing a market volume of around 1500 billion euros a year. Improvements are proposed for the trade with goods which do not fall under EU-legislation which accounts for around a quarter of EU intra manufacturing trade. At present many companies are discouraged from venturing outside their domestic market because they have to prove that their products fulfil the requirements of technical rules in other Member States. It is now suggested that public authorities will have to justify to companies, why a product which was lawfully marketed in another Member State, cannot be sold on their national market. In addition, it is proposed to create local product points which will provide information to businesses about additional requirements outside their home market.

Commission Vice-President Günter Verheugen, responsible for Enterprise and Industry including the internal market for goods, said: "The internal market is our biggest asset in view of promoting growth and jobs in the EU. There is still much room to improve the free movement of goods. That's why I'm proposing to unburden industry by placing more responsibility on the authorities of Member States and encouraging dialogue and cooperation. We will do so in a way that consumers will be better protected as well. More freedom for business to trade within Europe needs to be balanced with more responsibility and risk management.''

The measures proposed are the following:

• Strengthening and modernising the conditions for the safe marketing of a wide range of industrial products in the EU, the Commission wants to introduce better rules on market surveillance to protect consumers from unsafe products, including third country imports. It proposes to enhance confidence in conformity assessments of products through enforced accreditation of conformity assessment bodies. Clarifying the meaning and ensuring the protection of the CE marking is another element to improve confidence and trust in products marketed within the EU. The proposed revision will also establish a common legal framework for industrial products as a toolbox for future sectoral legislation to create coherent, simple common definitions and procedures for the marketing of industrial products.
• Establishing more stringent and effective procedures to make the marketing of goods in other Member States easier:
• National technical regulations have considerable practical implications for the production, distribution and day-to-day use of products. Such national rules restrict intra-EU trade in goods, as construction products, many foodstuffs (bread and pasta), furniture, bicycles, ladders and precious metals sometimes. This leads to extra administrative costs and heavy testing requirements.
• Free movement of goods: a new procedure between national authorities and economic operators facilitating the sale of products which are already marketed in accordance with the rules in one Member State will be put in place ;
• Burden of proof: a Member State that intends to refuse market access has to give precise and detailed objective reasons for doing so;
• Product Contact Points will be established in all Member States. Their main task will be to help enterprises which are faced with trade restrictions (see Memo, part 2).
• Giving guidance to Member States and citizens on the EU-rules for registering cars originating in another Member State. EU legislation has made life easier for consumers in the past years. Yet the registration of a motor vehicle in another Member State remains a source of complaints, in particular due to burdensome type-approval and registration procedures. As a result many people shy away from buying a car in another Member State, since they fear facing needless paperwork and extra costs. (see Memo, part 3).

These measures are a further step towards completing the internal market in the 21st century. The package will be submitted to the EP and the Council of Ministers for further discussion.

More information

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/regulation/goods/mutrec_en.htm

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