On 6 October the European Commission proposed a new framework for European standardisation to revise and replace Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012. The aim is to produce standards faster, involve a wider range of experts, and make the standards that support EU law free to access.
Key changes
- Cut the typical time to develop a standard from about six years to about four, through simpler procedures and broader expertise.
- Better representation for SMEs, civil society, academia, and public authorities.
- Free access to standards that support EU law, following recent rulings by the EU’s Court of Justice.
- A new Expert Centre on European Standardisation and closer coordination of the EU’s international standardisation strategy.
The proposal now goes to the European Parliament and the Council under the ordinary legislative procedure, so nothing changes yet. Harmonised standards give a presumption of conformity under EU product laws, including the Cyber Resilience Act and the AI Act, so faster and free-to-access standards should make compliance planning easier for manufacturers and their suppliers. In the meantime, keep working to the current harmonised standards and their ISO/IEC equivalents, and watch the proposal’s progress if your products depend on them.
Source: European Commission press release
Need help understanding what this change means for your organisation? Get in touch for a pragmatic, no-obligation conversation.
