On 12th October 2022, a political agreement has been reached between the European Parliament and EU Member States on the amendment to the European Standardisation Regulation, proposed by the Commission as part of the Standardisation Strategy presented on 2 February 2022. Trilogue negotiations have now concluded, paving the way for final approval of the legal text by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union.
Executive Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age, Margrethe Vestager, said: “This agreement will make European standards fit for the green and digital transitions. Ensuring that data is protected in artificial intelligence or ensuring a mobile device to be secure from hacking, rely on standards. So they must be in line with our democratic values. In the same vein, we need standards for the roll-out of important investment projects, like hydrogen or batteries. And we need to valorise innovation investment by providing EU companies with an important first-mover advantage.”
Next Steps
The European Parliament and the Council will now formally have to adopt the new Regulation before it can enter into force. Afterwards, the European standardisation organisations will have 6 months to implement the governance changes to their internal statutes.
