Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-05-16-Speech-2-355"
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"Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, I should like to start by thanking your House, and in particular your rapporteur, Mrs Pleštinská, the members of the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection and Mrs Herczog, for their prompt advice and this sound report.
The adoption of this proposal by the European legislature creates a new, solid legal basis for the financing of European standardisation. European standardisation has already played an outstanding role in supporting European policy for more than 20 years. For example, it has made a major contribution towards the completion of the internal market. As part of the New Approach, standardisation complements European legislation and contributes to technical harmonisation, enabling unrestricted trade in goods within the EU. More than 20 directives have been adopted that follow this approach, a concrete example of which is the Machinery Directive.
Standardisation is also an important tool for realising the objectives of the Lisbon Strategy. In view of the positive experience with standards in connection with internal market legislation, there are plans to use the approach of reference to voluntary standards in other areas of law, too, within the framework of what is known as ‘better lawmaking’. Examples are legislation in the fields of environmental protection, control of foodstuffs and the energy and transport sector.
In addition, standardisation has the potential to play an important role in strengthening the competitiveness of European industry, as it facilitates interoperability between different technologies, paves the way for the introduction of new technologies and promotes innovation.
Currently, European standardisation receives financial support from the Commission on the basis of legal acts from the 1980s. In view of the development of budgetary rules, it is imperative to update the legal basis for the financing of standardisation. The budgetary resources for financing European standardisation must be approved annually within the framework of the budgetary procedure. These currently amount to EUR 19 million.
The beneficiaries of Community financing are the European standardisation organisations CEN, CENELEC and ETSI, which are listed in Annex I of Directive 98/34/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations. Under special circumstances, support may also be given to other authorities in respect of activities necessary to support European standardisation.
In the course of the discussions, many parties called for European standardisation to take sufficient account of all the relevant interests, such as those of consumers, environmental protection and small and medium-sized enterprises. The Commission shares this view and is working towards improving the present situation.
This decision is not intended to guarantee the financing of the individual interests concerned, however. I should like to point out in this connection that support is provided for the participation of experts, for example from SMEs, within the framework of our SME programme. The same goes for the involvement of consumer and environmental protection and occupational health and safety stakeholders. It is also the responsibility of Member States to guarantee sufficient participation of the relevant stakeholders.
The Commission expressly welcomes the amendments drawn up in cooperation between Parliament and the Council. We can support all of Parliament’s amendments. I should like to express my particular thanks once again to Parliament and the rapporteur for their efforts to make agreement possible at first reading."@en1
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