Conformity assessment of products: the German experience

30.11.2020

On November 24, 2020, the seminar "Product Conformity Assessment: the German experience"was held online. The event was organized by the Eastern Committee of the German Economy with the support of the RSPP Committee for Technical Regulation, Standardization and Conformity Assessment. The event was attended by more than 170 experts from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.

The event is part of the Council's work on technical regulation and standardization for the digital economy Eastern Committee of German economy and the RSPP Committee for technical regulation, standardization and conformity assessment.

The event was opened by Andrey Lotsmanov, First Deputy Chairman of the RSPP Committee on Technical Regulation, Standardization and Conformity Assessment. He noted the importance of such an event in the current economic conditions, emphasizing the need to exchange information in the field of notification.

In his welcoming speech, Jens Boehlmann, Head of the Small and Medium-sized Business Bureau of the Eastern Committee of the German Economy, highlighted the importance of cooperation in the field of technical regulation in the current conditions.

Gerhild Roth, Technical Communication Assistant at the German Ministry of Energy Economics, spoke about the specifics of the technical regulation system in Germany. The market has a goal is a single movement of goods. To achieve this goal, the goods must meet the same requirements. They are enshrined in the EU Directives. We are talking about a whole system or chain of quality assurance, operating at different levels-public and private. At the same time, the issue of a certificate of conformity assessment is the prerogative of the private sphere. The German National Regulatory Strategy for 2017 contains the principles of market regulation. Regulation should come from the market, and all processes should be transparent and include all stakeholders. The state supports these processes only where necessary. Such a policy is a consensus that allows us to support global competition, as well as the German economy. The Roadmap for Industry 4.0 is an example of the importance of cooperation between the Ministry and industry at the international level.

Gerd Slapke, CEO of Eurasian connect, focused on the issues of conformity assessment in his speech. There is a relationship between responsibility and result. The EU policy in this area consists of three components:

  • the existence of harmonized standards;
  • product compliance with the requirements of the EU directives;.
  • the development of a common harmonized standards for detail requirements.

The manufacturer has the choice of either using the standards compliance procedure or engaging experts to assess product safety if the standards have not yet been developed. The current EU Directive "General Product Safety" has no counterpart in the EAEU. According to the document, the responsibility lies solely with the manufacturer. If the manufacturer is not a registered legal entity in the EU, its authorized representative in the EU is responsible. The manufacturers, under their own responsibility, carry out the relevant tests and adopt a declaration of conformity. In Germany, there is no single database of certification centers and testing laboratories, in contrast to the current system in Russia.

Thomas Zentko, Head of the Department at DKE, and Petra Scharf, Head of the International Department of DIN, spoke about the standardization institutes operating in Germany. DIN is a private organization operating under a contract with the German Government. DIN is set to play the role of a foundation for innovation. In this regard, digitalization is very important, which should help in the digitalization of standardization processes. At the same time, the regulation is not controlled by the German government, although government officials can participate in the work of technical committees.

Annabelle Brevka, consultant to the General Director of DAkkS, focused on product accreditation in Germany. The term "Accreditation" does not have the same meaning in Germany and the EU. Accreditation is a standard-based tool for determining competence in conformity assessment, and it is based on a third-party confirmation that the test center has performed its tasks correctly and that it has met the requirements set out in the harmonized standards. "Biobank" - a new type of conformity assessment. This is a bank where biological material is stored. Today, the entire process is regulated from the collection of material to its storage.

The basis for accreditation is laid down in Regulation 765/2008 / EC, as well as in the specific German legislation that establishes certain national characteristics. For example, when evaluating certain types of products, public authorities should be involved in the process. The accreditation centers also have an Auxiliary Council that advises the Government on accreditation issues. Accreditation is a public task, but private companies can take over this task. In addition, in Germany, there is a Regulation on fees, since accreditation is not a free service. DakkS recognizes the equality of the accreditation bodies, operating on an international level. If the company successfully passes the product evaluation, then all institutions in the EU must recognize the certificate received. In some cases, there is a requirement to involve a third party. These organizations are notified by Brussels. Notification differs from accreditation in that when Dakks is accredited, technical compensation is assessed. When the weight is notified, the data is transmitted to Nando. Accreditation is a mandatory notification tool. Notification is based on the notification.

During the discussion, the participants of the seminar received answers to their questions. Answers to specific questions will be provided by German experts later.

 

 


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