POLICY PAPER: EUROPEAN STANDARIZATION POLICY

Kristiana Elvis Boyadzhieva
20118703
Kristiana.boyadzhieva@gmail.com
MBA 546: European Union
Matthias C. Suthe
Policy Paper
1, February 2014

Each student will select one aspect of EU policy and discuss how it affects different industries, companies, and countries. The paper will involve both providing a general summary of the policy area as well as advising on specific policy changes that might be undertaken and/or are currently under discussion in that area. The paper should present and reflect on the positions of the EU, Member States, Corporate interests, and Citizen Interests.

There is probably no area in Europe, which is not be heavily affected by the EU standardization policy. Whether on the European, national, corporate or citizen level – the omnipresence and importance of the EU standardization policy is undisputed and is comparable maybe just with the influence of the EURO.
Therefore it is not suprising that EU nations, as well as industries and companies are trying to take an influence on the standardization process, to assure and strengthen their competitiveness and future. European standardization is certainly not only of European significance, but also plays an extremely important role in the global competitive position of the EU and Europe.
In the next paragraphs we will provide an overview about the main principles of the European Standadization policy, its goals and benefits, the institutions involved as well as about its long-/mid-term strategy. Afterwards we will speak about the national, corporate and citizen interests in the standardization policy.
General summary of European Standardization policy
Description
Standardization is a process in which all relevant parties (industries, SMEs, customers, non-governmental organizations, public authorities, trade unions) develop a framework