MARKETING OF PRODUCTS (6377/07, 6378/07)
Letter from the Chairman to Malcolm Wicks
MP, Minister of State for Science and Innovation, Department of
Trade and Industry
Sub-Committee B considered these documents and
your Explanatory Memoranda, at its meeting on 12 March 2007.
We welcome the Commission's move to establish
a European Framework for Accreditation, and share your hope that
these measures advance the twin causes of Better Regulation and
greater competitiveness in the European Union. We note your concern
that the scope of the draft Regulation be "defined more clearly"
and would welcome a report from you once your consultation is
complete. We share your view of the importance of the scope of
the Regulation being clearly understood by all Member States and
those examining authorities responsible for market surveillance.
Your Explanatory Memoranda mention the concerns
of HMRC officials, which we note. Has there been any consultation
of trading standards officers, with whom we would expect many
of the obligations for market surveillance to rest?
We would be grateful for a report from you should
any progress in negotiations be made on the draft Regulation.
We will maintain scrutiny on both documents at this stage.
19 March 2007
Letter from Malcolm Wicks MP to the Chairman
Thank you for your letter of 19 March on behalf
of the Select Committee. Thank you also for your support for a
European Framework for Accreditation and your support for our
attempts to clarify the scope of the Market Surveillance provisions
of the Regulation Proposal (6377/07).
I can confirm that my officials have maintained
close contact with the Local Authority Coordinators of Regulatory
Services (LACORS), which represents the interests of the Trading
Standards Departments in these matters, and that they have maintained
close contact with officials of the Health and Safety Executive,
which also has major responsibilities in this area.
At the request of the House of Commons European
Scrutiny Committee, my officals are preparing a progress report
on the negotiations now that we are approximately halfway through
the German Presidency's scheulde of Council Working Party meetings.
I should be pleased to send a copy to you as well.
16 April 2007
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