Concrete suggestions for more efficient border controls and better cooperation with industry stakeholders

Published: 10 May 2012

Policies & Issues: Internal Market - Compliance, Standards & Enforcement

As stated in the Manifesto of the European machinery industry, “the earlier the products are checked in the supply chain, the less damage they cause on the market if they are not compliant”. However, the overwhelming majority of non-food-or-feed products (less than 0.02% are checked according to the Dutch authorities) are not checked at the EU borders.

This situation is worrying for lawful market operators established in the EU who suffer from unfair competition from non-compliant imports. It is equally worrying for the EU’s ability to meet its policy goals for the protection of consumers, workers, the environment and the climate, and to secure growth and jobs in European companies, especially SMEs.

This is why Orgalime calls for a fast track implementation of the New Legislative Framework (Articles 27 to 29 of Regulation 765/2008/EC), which places obligations on Member States to put in place effective, efficient and deterrent non-tariff checks at the external borders of the EU single market. We are pleased to see that progress was made to improve coordination on product safety and compliance issues between Customs authorities and their colleagues from Market Surveillance, namely via the DG TAXUD Guidelines of June 2011.

However we regret that Orgalime and other relevant European stakeholders were not more closely consulted on EU strategy and on practical steps to fulfil the goal of an effective enforcement of EU product legislation, such as drafting the information sheets for the 26 initial product groups.

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