Brussels, 05/11/2013 (Agence Europe) - A broad raft of legislative harmonisations on electronic products was approved by the Parliamentary committee on the internal market (IMCO) on Tuesday 5 November, confirming an informal agreement reached by institutional trialogue in June of this year.
This package, which was adopted by 33 votes in favour, covers no fewer than eight directives which guarantee the safety of products such as non-automatic weighing instruments, simple pressure vessels, lifts and their components, explosives for civil use, equipment intended for use in explosive atmospheres, equipment for use within certain voltage limits and equipment with electromagnetic compatibility requirements.
Although a compromise was reached in June, it still required a few adjustments, hence the postponement of the vote until November. The rapporteur, Zuzana Roithova (EPP, Czech Republic), explained at the time the compromise was reached that these eight revised directives covered “almost all consumer electronics”, from the iPhone to the steam iron: “Consumers will receive better protection, as health-related impact of new products will be more strictly controlled. European producers will be protected in a more consistent manner against rogue importers of dangerous products from third countries”, she said.
The agreement will be definitively confirmed in a plenary vote in early 2014, and by adoption by the Council soon afterwards. (MD/transl.fl)