Press Release: ECOS/SBS workshop confirms that there is an elephant in the room
On 12 June, ECOS and Small Business Standards, the organisations representing and defending environmental and SMEs’ interests in standardisation organised a workshop entitled: “The use of standards in policy: is there an elephant in the room?”, held at the European Economic and Social Committee in Brussels.
The workshop built on the landmark ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), in the James Elliott case, which for the first time acknowledged that harmonised European standards are part of EU law. It brought together policy-makers, experts and other stakeholders to discuss how to ensure an effective and legitimate use of harmonised standards in European laws and policies.
Laura Degallaix, ECOS Director, commented: “Harmonised standards can support legislation and policies; however, this requires trust and confidence in both the regulatory approach to standards, and the standardisation system and its outcomes. It is crucial that the CJEU ruling in the James Elliott case is not forgotten and that questions around institutional control, liabilities, and access to standards and standardisation work are ultimately addressed.”
