The Commission publishes its proposal for an agreement on conformity assessment with the United States

In line with its commitment to enhanced transparency in trade negotiations, the European Commission published today its proposal for an EU-U.S. agreement on conformity assessment for industrial products. The EU proposal aims to enable exporters to seek certification of their products in their country of origin. This would make trade quicker, easier and cheaper, while maintaining a high level of consumer safety. The proposal covers all relevant industrial sectors where third-party conformity assessment is required by either side, with a particular focus on machinery and electric and electronic equipment. The joint EU-U.S. work on conformity assessment is one of the actions agreed under the Joint Statement by President Juncker and President Trump of 25 July 2018. On 15 April 2019, the EU Member States adopted in the Council a decision authorising the launch of negotiations for an agreement in that area. The potential economic benefits are important considering high volume of trade between the EU and the United States. In 2018, bilateral trade in goods amounted to €674 billion. More information about conformity assessment in the EU is available online.