Swedac is of the opinion that the Swedish government should act to ensure that the European Commission does not deviate from the scheme already decided upon in accordance with Regulation (EC) no. 765/2008 when devising new laws and regulations. New EU legislative proposals involve a risk of increasing the administrative burden on companies, as well as their costs.
“The EU’s New Legislative Framework (NLF) has clear rules and procedures and enables the proper functioning of quality infrastructure. This European system also has an advantage when it comes to access to many other world markets. However, it is now apparent that some legislative proposals are deviating from the scheme where the European Commission has been very proactive,” says Peter Kronvall, Swedac investigator and project manager for work on the report.
There is frequently deviation from the international system by some party which makes demands beyond the prevailing standards for market access, which increases costs all the way along the value chain. Larger, well-established companies usually accept these demands, while smaller companies may find it more difficult to cope with them. In the long run, this may inhibit their export opportunities.
Furthermore, the report shows that accredited bodies feel that accreditation is important for business and facilitates international trade. Moreover, companies involved in standardisation perceive the benefits of it. Using standards in their product development helps them ensure that they meet relevant requirements.