Anca SANDRU-Counsellor Cristiana CHIRIAC- Counsellor Ministry of Economy and Commerce

I. TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE IN THE BALKAN REGION  The existence of some mandatory technical and procedural requirements, different for products  The low number of mutual recognition agreements regarding the tests` results and certificates, between the region’s countries  The low number of cooperation agreements between the accreditation, standardisation and metrology bodies, main actors in the quality infrastructure field, for the voluntary and the regulated area  The lack at regional level of an unitary and easily accessible data base containing technical and procedural requirements which shall be observed for the placing on the market and putting into service of the products

II. PRIORITIES IN THE REGULATORY AREA The Romania’s accession to the European Union in

Priorities(1) The conformity with the European Union regulation requirements by transposing the Directives adopted at European level, which involves:  The sustained development of the central administration’ s capacity and capability in order to have a full and correct transposition of the European adopted legislation, by:  assuring projects for technical assistance;  organising seminars/workshops addressed to the structures involved and interested in the implementation of the transposed directives and of the ones which will be transposed in the national legislation;  drafting of implementation guides;  organising exchanging of experience between experts.  The assurance of the Romanian experts’ participation to the European Union Committees/ working groups opened to the participation of the candidate countries’ representatives

Priorities(2) Full and accelerated adoption of the European harmonised standards related to the transposed Directives, which involves:  allocation of the funds for the adoption of the harmonised standards;  organisation of campaigns focused on increasing awareness regarding the importance of: the active and permanent involvement of the interested factors in the national, European and international standardisation activity; the implementation of the adopted standards

Priorities(3) The alignment to European practice of regulation, involving:  Training for the participation to the drawing up process of harmonized technical regulations, in accordance with European requirements, by: Adoption of the working procedure representing the basis for the drawing up process of European technical regulations Training for specialists that may be involved into the technical regulating activity, at European level  Insuring the permanent and active representation within the European Commission’s working structures

Priorities(4) The full alignment to European and international practice in the field of standardisation, involving :  Finalising and implementing the national procedure for the adoption of European standards, as a result to the participation of the national standardisation body to the activity establishing the standards, as a full member of CEN and CENELEC  Insuring the permanent and active representation within the technical committees of European and international standardisation structures

Priorities(5) Establishing conditions for carrying out the exchange of information in the field of standards and technical regulations, involving:  Developing an efficient and operational system for the exchange of information, by: Developing structures which will be able, from the organisational and technical point of view, to carry out the exchange of information in the field of standards and technical regulations, according to European requirements and those resulting from the WTO member status Training for specialists responsible for the implementation of the exchange of information procedure, mainly in the field of technical regulations

III. THE MAIN PROBLEMS IMPENDING REGULATORY WORK:  Insufficiency of the external technical assistance support for:  Transposing European Directives  Drawing up informing materials regarding harmonized technical regulations  Training for present and future specialists involved in the regulating activity  Training for specialists for carrying out the exchange of information in the field of standards and technical regulations, according to European and international practice and requirements

MAIN PROBLEMS(2)  Insufficient cooperation at regional level between experts/specialists in the specific fields  Insufficient cooperation at regional level, between standardization, accreditation and metrology structures, as well as between testing/calibration laboratories and certifying bodies.  Insufficient funds for:  Carrying out national campaigns, as instruments for informing and increasing the awareness regarding the new technical regulations and standardisation activity, in general  Adopting harmonized European standards by translation into Romanian language.

IV. PILOT PROJECTS PROPOSITIONS:  Supplying technical assistance for transposing new directives  Supplying technical assistance for assimilating the procedures and developing the abilities of active and competent participation to the drawing of European technical regulations  Supplying technical assistance for assimilating other states experience and developing the abilities of active and competent participation to the drawing of European technical regulations  Supplying technical assistance for carrying out the exchange of information in the field of technical regulations and standards, according to European and WTO requirements

Propositions(2)  Supporting the organisation of periodical experts meetings on specific fields  Supporting the organisation of an annual conference, providing for exchange of information and development of future collaboration  Developing at regional level a unitary and easily available data base, including the technical and procedure related requirements which have to be complied to in order for the products to be placed on the market and put into service