On 15 October, Andreea Gulacsi, Director of Policy and External Affairs at CEN and CENELEC, participated in a public hearing of the European Parliament's Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) on the future European Product Act. The hearing brought together representatives of the European Commission, national authorities, consumer organizations, industry and standardization bodies to discuss the future of EU product legislation and the European standardization system.
Speaking during the hearing's second panel, Andreea Gulacsi underlined the essential role of standards in supporting Europe's Single Market and highlighted the need for a strong public-private partnership in standardization. She noted that CEN and CENELEC already bring together around 90,000 experts across 34 countries and maintain approximately 24,000 standards that support businesses, consumers and policymakers across Europe.
CEN and CENELEC expressed support for the European Commission's objectives of making standardization faster, more inclusive, more accessible and more internationally influential, outlined in the proposed New Standardization Regulation. Andreea Gulacsi also highlighted ongoing efforts to modernize standards development, improve digital processes, support SME and civil society participation, and increase access to standards through initiatives such as free readability of requested harmonized standards and the European Standardization Hub.
At the same time, CEN and CENELEC called on Members of the European Parliament to safeguard four key principles: balanced oversight of recognized European Standards Organizations, access to standards with appropriate copyright protections, one coherent European Standardization System, and standards development driven by expertise and market needs. Looking ahead, Andreea Gulacsi stressed that the ongoing reform of the European Standardization System should be "an evolution, not a revolution", highlighting the importance of preserving the expertise, trust and public-private partnership that have made the European model a success while continuing to improve its efficiency and accessibility.
Opening the hearing, IMCO Chair Anna Cavazzini described standards as "a backbone of the Single Market", highlighting their importance in supporting Europe's competitiveness and regulatory framework.
CEN and CENELEC look forward to continuing the dialogue with European policymakers and stakeholders as discussions on the European Product Act and the future of the European standardization system move forward.
