EEA EFTA Comment on the ‘Goods Package’

On 4 June 2018, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway submitted a joint EEA EFTA Comment on the Goods Package consisting of a proposal for a Regulation on the Mutual Recognition of Goods (COM(2017)796) and a proposal for a Regulation on Compliance and Enforcement (COM(2017)795).

The EEA EFTA States have continuously and actively followed the European Union’s work on market surveillance, compliance and enforcement as well as its work on the principle of mutual recognition in the field of goods. EEA EFTA Comments in these areas have been submitted on previous occasions.

In their recent comment within this field, the EEA EFTA States welcome the ‘Goods Package’ as it aims to make it easier for companies to sell their products across Europe and to strengthen controls to prevent unsafe products from being sold to European consumers.

The proposal for a Regulation on Compliance and Enforcement is supported by the EEA EFTA States as it will result in a more coordinated level of market surveillance in the EEA and better cooperation between market surveillance and customs authorities.

Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway also welcome some of the proposals that have been put forward by the Commission to help economic operators with the applicable harmonisation legislation such as the extension of the Product Contact Points to the harmonised area.  However, they question the added value of the proposal to have a person responsible for compliance information established within the Union/EEA.

Furthermore, the EEA EFTA States do not support the compliance partnership arrangement proposal as this could compromise the market surveillance authorities’ independence. The EEA EFTA States therefore suggest that Article 7 of the proposed Regulation for Compliance and Enforcement should be deleted.

Regarding the proposal for a Regulation on the Mutual Recognition of Goods, the EEA EFTA States believe that the proposed ‘mutual recognition declaration’ can help businesses demonstrate that their product meets the requirements of another Member State. However, certain clarifications are still needed under this section.

Submitting comments on important policy issues is one of the ways in which the EEA EFTA States participate in shaping EU legislation. A typical EEA EFTA Comment provides a brief commentary and suggestions regarding Commission initiatives such as green papers or legislative proposals. The comments are sent by the Chair of the Standing Committee of the EFTA States on behalf of Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein to the relevant services in the Commission, the European Parliament and the Council.

The EEA EFTA Comment on the Goods Package is available here.

 A full list of EEA EFTA Comments is available here.