Germany’s EU Council Presidency: Priorities for European Standardisation

On 1^st July 2020 Germany took over the six-month Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU). The Council is a key institution in which representatives of the EU member states' governments meet to adopt laws and coordinate policies. The German Federal Government has formulated ambitious goals for the next six months. In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Germany’s plans to put emphasis on economic recovery, bolstering competitiveness and innovative strength. The digital transformation and structural reforms in the context of the European Green Deal are two of the focus areas.

In a press release, the German Institute for Standardization (DIN) outlines what the German EU Council Presidency means for standardisation. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, standards have already received much attention, for example standards for personal protective equipment (PPE) which DIN made available for free. Important questions for the future relate to the role of standards in strengthening the economy’s resilience against crises, for the recovery of businesses, but also for the implementation of the digital and green transformation.

At the level of European standardisation, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) intends to use its Presidency to revive the EU Council’s Working Party on standardisation. This Working Party has been inactive for several years but can play a crucial role to discuss for example the relationship between industry-driven standardisation and the European Commission in European standardisation. Furthermore, BMWi plans to conduct two workshops on the strategic relevance of standardisation for artificial intelligence and the implementation of the European Green Deal.

Please find further information in the press release by DIN (in German).