We get a lot of queries from UK businesses asking why other EU countries are allowed to have additional technical requirements – “Isn’t this against the rules of the Single Market?” they ask. It’s worth bearing in mind that Member States, including the UK, are not prevented from introducing their own national requirements. However, before doing so, they must notify the Commission and other Member States of what they are planning and allow them time to raise questions and, if necessary, to formally object.
A Transparent Process
This notification process is transparent and helps ensure that any unjustified barriers to the Single Market are identified and addressed at an early stage. This process also allows business organisations to see what’s being proposed and raise any concerns through their national contact point, which helps make this an even more effective review process.
Your Views
The new Technical Standards and Regulations Directive 2015/1535/EU came into force in October 2015 and our revised Guidance document can be found here. As always, we would welcome any questions or feedback from businesses on the guidance and how we could improve it.