Brussels, 27 April 2021 – The EU’s ‘New Industrial Strategy for Europe’ presented last year, embarks on heading the twin ecological and digital transitions coming our way. By moving European industry to new technologies, investment, and innovation, the strategy aims to ensure European sovereignty and leadership in industry.
The Industrial Strategy builds on an already strong single market, in which more harmonisation will enhance the scalability of the new digital economy, set up well-functioning systems for standardisation and certification, and work cross-sectorally to implement the priorities of the Strategy through other policy instruments such as the Circular Economy Action Plan, the Chemicals Strategy, and the Renewable Energy Regulation.
If we want to have an inclusive and just transition in moving industry to carbon neutrality, however commendable the goal, small enterprises and consumers cannot be forgotten or left in a regulatory maze. It is also critical to ensure that all regulatory requirements are met by all economic players to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of this strategy.
The Conformity Assessment Ecosystem will provide ample support to the implementation of, and compliance with the Strategy. Our sector can ensure compliance with governmental requirements (and potentially do so at a lower cost to the taxpayer). Certifications relating to Greenhouse Gases, Taxonomy, Supply Chain Management and due diligence will each in their own way protect EU citizens, local business, and drive energy and environmental transition across the EU.
Within the EU framework, the Conformity Assessment Ecosystem can also give industry an international outlook, as the standards set are often recognised internationally. This enhances trade and lifts barriers and compliance costs that would be felt particularly by small and medium companies and organisations.
To address the deployment of the strategy, and the role the Conformity Assessment Ecosystem has in supporting it, the TIC Council will host a webinar on the 29th of April. The event will explore what energy management systems concretely look like for the daily life of a company. This will be followed by a panel of expert industry leaders from the Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC) sector.
The panel will include Javier López Gómez, Internal Energy Efficiency in Buildings Manager at SGS, Kirit Patel, Environmental Manager for EMEA at DHL, and Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry, Innovation Policy Development at the European Commission, Thomas Heinemeier. They will discuss the wider energy management systems but will also focus specifically on aspects such as the revised Energy Efficiency Directive, ISO Standards, and their role under the revised EU Industrial Strategy.
During the event, the revised Energy Efficiency Directive will be discussed both in purpose and content. This directive is the backbone of one of the priorities in the EU’s Industrial Strategy under the principle of ‘energy efficiency first’. Implementing this principle demands a more strategic approach to energy system analyses and an increased role for the Conformity Assessment Sector. Integrated standardisation and certification systems will not only help deliver on the targets in the strategy, but will also boost industries' competitiveness, facilitate sustainable investment, and create a level playing field.
Registration for the webinar is open and can be found here.
Media contact:
Laura Martin
Communications Manager
Rue du Commerce 20/22
B-1000 Brussels
tel: +32 486 077 627
email: lmartin@tic-council.org
About TIC Council
TIC Council is the global trade federation representing the independent third-party Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC) industry which brings together more than 90-member companies and organizations from around the world to speak with one voice. Its members provide services across a wide range of sectors: consumer products, medical devices, petroleum, mining and metals, food, and agriculture, among others. Through the provision of these services, TIC Council members assure that not only regulatory requirements are met, but also that reliability, economic value, and sustainability are enhanced. TIC Council’s members are present in more than 160 countries and employ more than 300,000 people across the globe.