The annual Union work programme for European standardisation for 2020

EESC opinion: The annual Union work programme for European standardisation for 2020

Key points

The EESC:

  • Agrees with the Commission that standardisation is crucial to the strategy for the single market and that it should be constantly updated;
  • Considers that there is an urgent need to modernise the European standardisation system to meet global challenges with an innovative process of cooperation, with a view to the timely development of standards in a fast-changing technological climate;
  • Agrees on the importance of AI for the single market, and considers that the current rules on safety and security should be updated;
  • Calls for minimum environmental criteria to be made mandatory in public procurement, and for the use of secondary raw materials to be included among the criteria to be encouraged;
  • Welcomes the possibility of a new standardisation request on the Internet of things, and rules on cybersecurity, security, privacy and connectivity,
  • Advocates an inclusive approach to standardisation that includes objectives on employability, social rights, and respect for biodiversity and the environment;
  • Calls for European standards to be drawn up in language that is readily understandable by final users, such as SMEs and consumers.

For more information please contact the INT Section Secretariat.