EESC SMEs, Crafts and the Professions Category 6th October 2011, Bruxelles NORMAPME: Making standards better for SMEs European Office of Crafts, Trades and Small and Medium sized Enterprises for Standardisation Bureau Européen de l Artisanat et des Petites et Moyennes Entreprises pour la Normalisation Europäisches Büro des Handwerks und der Klein- und Mittelbetriebe für die Normung Organizzazione Europea dell Artigianato e delle Piccole e Medie Imprese per la Standardizzazione Organización Europea del Artesanado y de las PYMEs para la Estandarización Europejskie Zrzeszenie Rzemiosła oraz Małych i Średnich Przedsiębiorstw dla Normalizacji With the financial support of the European Commission
Table of Contents 2 NORMAPME in the European Standardisation System Review of the European Standardisation System
NORMAPME 3 International non-profit organisation Created in 1996, based in Brussels Financial support by the EU Commission, EFTA and its members Team of 13 employees Its members represent over 12 million enterprises Covers all SME relevant sectors
NORMAPME 4 the European organisation exclusively devoted to the interests of Crafts and Small and Medium sized Enterprises in all SME relevant sectors of the European standardisation system (ESS) currently represented by 49 technical experts in 59 TCs at CEN, CLC, ETSI and ISO each expert is supported by a SME association and backed by a pan-european mirror group
NORMAPME in the ESS 5 ISO NORMAPME ESO CEN, CENELEC, ETSI NSOs
NORMAPME Network 6 NORMAPME Mirror Committees 49 NORMAPME experts in 59 TCs at ESO and ISO level NORMAPME Secretariat NORMAPME full members* UEAPME EMU FEPPD EVH Eurowindoor IFD GCI-UICP ELCA JEUNE PIN-SME ESBA EBC BIPAVER ETRA ECAP CINET EFESME EMM National members SMEs * All consultations are also extended to European Industry Associations
NORMAPME for experts 7 Call for experts (support from SME association needed) Yearly allowance (incl. travel costs) Access to standardisation system by NORMAPME Training on the standardisation system Extranet Direct contact at NORMAPME Secretariat Help with creation of the NORMAPME Mirror Group NORMAPME Experts meeting (twice per year)
Revision of the ESS the Standardisation Package 8 EC proposal of 1 June 2011: 1. Communication on a strategic vision for European standards - COM(2011)311 2. Proposal for a Regulation on European standardisation - COM(2011)315 3. Impact assessment - SEC(2011)671
Current works at the European Parliament 9 Rapporteur Lara Comi - indicative timetable: 23/11/2011: IMCO Hearing on Standardisation 07/02/2011: Deadline for amendments in IMCO 20/03/2011: Vote in IMCO May 2011: Plenary
The position of NORMAPME/1 10 National delegation principle: is it good for SMEs? TheNDP is an advantage for SMEs but Complemented by the activity carried out at European level by NORMAPME in its capacity as SMEs representative organisation (to face the problem of under-representation of SMEs see recital n.13 COM(2011) 315; and par 3.2.1 of Impact Assessment SEC(2011) 671)
The position of NORMAPME/2 11 What can the experts of NORMAPME do for SMEs? Active participation in technical committees of ESOs or ISO Alleviation of the under-representation of SMEs Expert knowledge and English language skills Experts supported by NORMAPME Mirror Committee SME awareness raising on standardisation Extranet
The position of NORMAPME/3 12 Should SMEs have a symbolic right to vote at European level? The viewpoints of SMEs should be recorded and included in the consensus-building process. Would not hinder the functioning of the national delegation principle. Also supported by the EC impact assessment: SEC(2011) 671-3.2.3. Policy Option 2.B: Granting voting rights ( )would have a very positive impact on the involvement of SMEs ( ). No negative impacts could be identified. However, this needs to be negotiated and agreed with the members of the ESOs.
The position of NORMAPME/4 13 Are SMEs sufficiently protected against anticompetitive behaviours in standardisation? Anticompetitive behaviours can still be put in place by undertakings that have stronger means to control the processes; Need for openness and transparency of the standardisation process and a balanced representation of stakeholders categories
The position of NORMAPME/4a 14 Is speed of standards development a critical issue? Yes, time should be progressively reduced but Consensus needs time. Reducing time should not undermine inclusiveness (ie adequate participation and consultation of stakeholders). EC funding cannot depend on time of delivery (as proposed in action 3 COM(2011)311)
The position of NORMAPME/4b 15 Are standards necessary for innovation and competitiveness? Yes, standards can serve these purposes if there is a real request from the market. No, if they are imposed by policy makers and there is not enough participation from companies. (Action 2 COM(2011)311 should be carefully assessed)
The position of NORMAPME/5 16 Can participation of stakeholders be more balanced? Transparency of affiliationof members should be strictly enforced and monitored. A fast-track appeal mechanism managed by an independent panel should be enforced for cases of over-representation of one or more categories of stakeholders (in line with par.2 of COM(2011)311). Financing by the Union to the ESOs upon fulfilment of the condition that relevant stakeholders are appropriately represented (see Art. 13.4.b of COM(2011) 315).
The position of NORMAPME/6 17 Are standards always relevant to the market? The bottom-up approach should be the driving principle of the standardisation system. However, for some areas government has to intervene. Before developing a new standardisation activity an evaluation of its market relevance and of its possible impact on relevant stakeholders should be carried out.
The position of NORMAPME/7 18 What standards should the EC mandate? European mandates should request product/service specific standards rather than horizontal standards applicable to many products/services. SMEs and other stakeholders should be put in the condition of monitoring closer the mandates drafted by the European Commission and ESOs replies to those mandates.
The position of NORMAPME/8 19 Are European SMEs sufficiently represented in international standardisation? The European Commission, the Member States and National Standards Organisations should promote the adoption of SME friendly policies in the international standards bodies. The EC should be more proactive in monitoring the application of the WTO TBT agreement within the works carried out by the international standards bodies. The participation of European SMEs in international standards bodies should be supported similarly as in ESOs.
The position of NORMAPME/9 20 Are standards on services good for SMEs? Service standards should follow a bottom-up approach. NORMAPME welcomes the EC proposal to have market driven, consensus-basedservice standards (see par 5 COM(2011) 311). but The High Level Group on Business Services involves all stakeholders including SMEs.
The position of NORMAPME/10 21 What is special about ICT standards? Compliance of Fora and Consortia standards with WTO criteria should be reviewed by a high level platform inclusive of all relevant stakeholders(see par 6, action 21 COM(2011) 311). The participation in such platform should be balanced and the governance should be assigned to economic operators and societal stakeholders rather than to standards setting organisations. Use of Fora-Consortia standards: yes in public procurement, noas a means to demonstrate compliance with legislation.
The position of NORMAPME/11 22 Is the price of standards appropriate to SMEs? National standardisation bodies are encouraged to provide standards at special rates or bundle them at a reduced price for SME and societal stakeholders (par 4, action 14 COM(2011) 311).
The position of NORMAPME/12 23 How to develop more SME friendly standards? Publication of free of charge good quality scopes and abstracts. CEN/CENELEC Guide 17 on SME needs. Simplification manualsshould be produced by European/national Standards Organisations backed by SME associations.
Thank you for your attention! Sebastiano Toffaletti T.: +32 (0)2 282 0538 E-mail: s.toffaletti@normapme.com Website: http://www.normapme.eu European Office of Crafts, Trades and Small and Medium sized Enterprises for Standardisation Bureau Européen de l Artisanat et des Petites et Moyennes Entreprises pour la Normalisation Europäisches Büro des Handwerks und der Klein- und Mittelbetriebe für die Normung Organizzazione Europea dell Artigianato e delle Piccole e Medie Imprese per la Standardizzazione Organización Europea del Artesanado y de las PYMEs para la Estandarización Europejskie Zrzeszenie Rzemiosła oraz Małych i Średnich Przedsiębiorstw dla Normalizacji With the financial support of the European Commission