Brussels -- The European machinery sector says it welcomes a 13 Feb European Commission proposal on mchinery market surveillance. But it wants more ambitious measures to tackle the challenge of non-compliant machinery in the internal market.
"The European machinery industry, represented by CECE, CECIMO, CEMA, FEM and EUROMAP, warmly welcomes the proposal from the Commission, as it reflects many of the suggestions that our industry has made during the past months," said Luciano Anceschi, president of EUROMAP (Europe' s Association for plastics and rubber machinery manufacturers).
"Whilst we fully support the positive aspects of this package, we also call on the European Parliament and Council to come up with additional amendments to improve the overall effectiveness of the proposed scheme," Anceschi added, in a 13 Feb announcement
The machinery groups say that the proposal on market surveillance includes important improvements
One single regulation now exists for all products, with a different concept of risk. Martin Kapp, president of CECIMO (the European Association of Machine Tool Industries), comments, "This is very important for our manufacturers who have been asking for a long time for rapid and effective actions to prevent non-compliant machines from creating unfair competition in the internal market."
Obligations on member states have been clarified. The new package requires Member States to report about national sector-specific programmes and pushes them to provide better financing of market surveillance
Enhanced cooperation demanded at EU level, with greater EU coordination. "We welcome this initiative which should help to coordinate the activities of all the national authorities and directly spot a sectoral market surveillance problem" says Jan van der Velden, president of FEM (the European Materials Handling Federation). "However, the role of the industry in that forum should go beyond that of a mere observer so that our technical expertise can be fully used."
The role of industry should be clarified and enhanced. Input from industry is important to make the system work: "This is the reason why Trade Associations should be taken on board to cooperate with the authorities of the Member States to set up technical procedures for the inspection of the machines" said van der Velden.
Sanctions should be harmonised and earmarked to market surveillance activities. "Everybody knows that resources are scarce," says Johann Sailer, president of CECE (The Committee of European Construction Equipment). "If the fees collected are not reallocated to enhance the controls, no real virtuous cycle can be initiated. We therefore propose minimum thresholds or ceilings to harmonise sanctions, plus an obligation for Member States to at least partially earmark the penalties collected to refinance market surveillance and customs controls."
"Market surveillance is an essential pillar of the internal market;" said Gilles Dryancour, president of CEMA "without appropriate controls on compliance, requirements are of no value. The internal market will only be completed when rules are respected, not when they are just in place."
