ECOS | Environmental Coalition on Standards

04 November 2019

Annual Union Work Programme for European Standardisation for 2020 is out!

The European Commission has just published its Annual Union Work Programme for European Standardisation for 2020. Well worth a read, it identifies priorities for European standardisation for the coming year.

We are pleased that environmental issues are given priority, and that the Programme highlights the need for new European standards in support of EU legislation.

In 2020, the European Commission is set to ask standardisers to develop a number of standards, in particular those relating to:

  • Ecodesign to measure the energy performance of a number of appliances such as electrical motors, water heaters, washing machines and household washer-dryers;
  • recycling and reuse of plastic fishing gear; 
  • fertilisers;
  • development of migration limits of the restricted substances (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) in rubber and plastic material used in consumer articles, under REACH;
  • facilitating the steel industry’s transition to a clean circular economy, taking due account of standards at the research stage of new innovative production processes, and standards to support a harmonised implementation of innovative steel production technologies in the single market.

The European Commission also highlights the relevance of using standards in trade agreements, the importance of inclusiveness, for which ECOS has been advocating for years, and the Commission’s upcoming study on the economic and societal impact of standardisation.

ECOS will be very keen to see the realisation of the Commission’s Programme and will work to ensure that the future standards effectively contribute to addressing key environmental challenges.

ECOS is co-funded by the European Commission and EFTA Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or EISMEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

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