On the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directives 2000/14/EC, 2011/65/EU, 2013/53/EU, 2014/29/EU, 2014/30/EU, 2014/31/EU, 2014/32/EU, 2014/33/EU, 2014/34/EU, 2014/35/EU, 2014/53/EU, 2014/68/EU and 2014/90/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards digitalisation and common specifications
ENVI-AD-778331
Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety · Rapporteur: Raúl de la Hoz Quintano
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The Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety proposes amendments to a Commission proposal for a directive on digitalisation and common specifications in thirteen product directives.¶¶ The amendments require EU declarations of conformity to be directly accessible online, allow digital instructions with paper safety information, and require a digital contact for manufacturers, importers and distributors.¶¶¶ They set conditions for the Commission to adopt common specifications only where no harmonised standards exist or standards are insufficient, and add procedural steps and an evaluation by 31 December 2030.¶¶¶
Committee position. The committee proposes amendments to the Commission proposal, requiring directly accessible electronic declarations of conformity, digital instructions with paper safety information, digital contacts for economic operators, stricter conditions for common specifications, and an evaluation by 31 December 2030.¶¶¶
Key points
- The Commission and member states should foster harmonised, interoperable data systems to ensure consistency of sustainability and safety information and avoid fragmented digital reporting.¶
- Reporting requirements and economic operators' obligations should be reduced, harmonised and modernised, with business-to-authority reporting fully digitalised when consumer protection and safety are not affected.¶
- EU declarations of conformity must accompany products in electronic form and be directly accessible through an internet address or machine-readable code.¶¶¶
- Digital instructions should be introduced; safety information must still be provided in paper or marked on the product, and instructions must be accessible free of charge without personal data, downloads or extra applications.¶
- The digital transition should be proportionate for SMEs, with safeguards ensuring simple, interoperable and cost-effective solutions without significant additional investment.¶
- Economic operators must provide a digital contact on the product and in the EU declaration of conformity, allowing end-users and authorities to make direct contact free of charge and without additional steps.¶¶¶
- The Commission may adopt common specifications only where no harmonised standards exist or they are insufficient, after consulting European standardisation organisations and relevant stakeholders.¶
- Common specifications may be adopted only where no harmonised standard covers the relevant requirements and none is expected within a reasonable period, or where a standardisation request is not accepted, not delivered on time, or does not comply.¶¶¶
- The Commission must inform the committee under Regulation (EU) 1025/2012 before drafting implementing acts, take into account expert group views, and consult all relevant stakeholders.¶¶
- When a harmonised standard is published, the Commission must repeal or amend implementing acts covering the same requirements; member states or Parliament may flag common specifications that do not satisfy essential requirements.¶¶
- The Commission must evaluate the directive's implementation by 31 December 2030, assessing impacts on SMEs, accessibility, interoperability, cybersecurity, environment, product safety and consumer protection.¶
Who is affected
- Manufacturers, importers and distributors of equipment, electrical and electronic equipment and other products covered by the directives, who must provide digital contacts and electronic conformity documents.¶¶¶
- SMEs, for whom the digital transition must remain proportionate with safeguards against significant additional investment.¶
- End-users, who must be able to obtain paper instructions and reach economic operators free of charge without providing personal data or installing applications.¶¶
- National competent authorities, which must be able to contact economic operators directly and receive conformity documentation in accessible electronic form.¶¶
- The Commission, which must consult stakeholders, inform the committee under Regulation (EU) 1025/2012, and evaluate the directive by 31 December 2030.¶¶¶