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Greater harmonization is win-win formula for both China and EU
(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-11-30 07:46 When discussing the impact on enterprises the EUCTP team was unanimous that the EUCTP had benefited both Chinese and European enterprises in many ways both directly and indirectly. For example, the considerable amount of EUCTP work which had supported policy, legislative and regulatory reform efforts had all contributed to improving the trading environment for companies in China. Since its launch the EUCTP has worked to offer technical support under the EU-China Regulatory Dialogue and its working groups, which together promote international regulatory convergence and harmonization for standards and testing of products and services. This work has improved the quality infrastructure in China, reduced bureaucracy, increased efficiency and allowed companies to trade more easily.
Joint development of standards at the EU-China level has contributed to a memorandum of understanding on standardization between the EU and China and has improved the development and enforcement of standards. "SMEs, due to their limited resources, particularly lack the facilities to comply, comment on and participate in standards setting procedures. The EUCTP has helped streamline such approaches," said Bartley. Similarly in the area of product testing the EUCTP has supported the streamlining of procedures and capacity strengthening for Chinese policy makers and regulators. This was primarily achieved through technical internship training at European institutions. These activities resulted in upgrading export capacities of Chinese enterprises while also improving fair market access for foreign enterprises in China. This in turn has strengthened relations between the EU, member state institutions and standards bodies in Europe with their Chinese counterparts. In efforts to improve the quality infrastructure in specific sectors, EUCTP work has been implemented in the automotive, construction, electrical and electronics, medical devises and cosmetics sectors, amongst others. Expert Li explained that: "Enterprises along with consumers are the most important stakeholder groups within international trade and that all regulators should listen to consumer groups as well as chambers of commerce to ensure their interests are understood." He added that: "Chinese manufacturers, exporters and trade associations have all been the key recipients of a series of training seminars delivered by the EUCTP across China on the three principle trade defence instruments covering anti-dumping, anti-subsidy measures and safeguard measures."
The EUCTP also organized several training activities related to food safety covering issues such as traceability management and food contact materials in order to update Chinese producers and officials on EU requirements and best practice approaches to comply with EU standards. A joint China-US-EU Initiative on Consumer Product Safety Compliance in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou during September 2008 provided training for over 500 central and local level regulators, testing and industry personnel in China. EUCTP work with the European Chamber of Commerce in China (EUCCC), known as the voice of European business in China, has also been vibrant across most components of the project. The project has supported EUCCC cooperation initiatives with their Chinese counterparts on issues of market access, services liberalization, IPR protection and technology transfer, standards and regulatory developments, and others applied to a range of sectors including pharmaceuticals, medical devises, construction, automotive, petrochemicals, telecommunications and financial services. (China Daily 11/30/2009 page15) |
