The Alignment Package consists of nine directives being aligned to the 'New Legislative Framework' (NLF) which was adopted as part of the goods package from 2008, in particular decision No 768/2008/EC establishing a common framework for the marketing of products. The NLF sets out the reference for future product legislation and the 9 directives were chosen as they were not foreseen for revision in the coming years. The directives were aligned to the NLF through a recast technique, seeking to focus only on changes that were a direct result of the alignment procedure without going into substantive changes that would require longer preparations.
The final agreement with the Council leads to less red tape for economic operators, better market surveillance and clearer labels for consumers. The most sensitive issue during the informal negotiations with the Council was the Council's wish for adding committee procedures to all the directives.
The Directive on Pressure Equipment was separated from the Alignment package presented in November 2011 because, unlike the other nine Directive, this recast also contained an alignment with another EU legislative act, namely Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP Regulation) of the EP and of the CEU of 16 December 2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures. The intention of the proposal was restricted to a pure alignment with the horizontal provisions in Decision 768/2008/EC and CLP Regulation as well as the new terminology within the Lisbon Treaty, including new rules on Comitology.
The IMCO Members supported the Commission's general intention of a pure alignment and had therefore limited their amendments to the EC proposal to changes reflecting the agreement obtained between the Council and the Parliament on the nine other Directives and which had been omitted in the proposal. The Greek Presidency got a mandate on 22 January and the second trialogue was held on 5 February 2014.
Rapporteur: Zuzana Roithova
The IMCO Shadow Rapporteurs are Toine Manders (ALDE), Christel Schaldemose (S&D), Ashley Fox (ECR) and Matteo Salvini (EFD)
The report on pressure equipment (2013/0221(COD)) is foreseen for April II plenary.
Source : © European Union, 2014 - EP