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New legislative framework and its Revision

Over the summer SBS has started engaging with the upcoming revision of the New Legislative Framework (NLF), replying to a call for evidence launched by the European Commission.

First adopted in 2008, the New Legislative Framework (NLF) is a package of EU measures to improve the internal market for goods and strengthen the conditions for placing a wide range of products on the EU market. The aim is to upgrade market surveillance and boost the quality of conformity assessments. The NLF comprises:

· Regulation (EC) 765/2008 setting out the requirements for accreditation and the market surveillance of products;

· Decision 768/2008 on a common framework for the marketing of products;

· Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 on market surveillance and compliance of products.

European standards are key to the NLF. The NLF Regulations and Directives set out essential requirements that products must meet to ensure safety, health, and environmental protection. Harmonised standards (hENs) cited in the Official Journal of the European Union provide the technical specifications that manufacturers can follow to ensure their products meet these essential requirements. When manufacturers use hENs, the products benefit from a presumption of conformity with the applicable legislative requirements.

The NLF has played a crucial role in the achievement of the Single Market, providing a flexible framework that allows to cope with technological developments and bring lasting and tangible benefits to European SMEs. However, with view to the upcoming revision, there are also areas for further improvement which were highlighted by SBS in the reply to the call for evidence, including:

· Alignment of relevant definitions - Certain definitions are either absent or not fully clear and harmonised in the current NLF framework,. Also the obligations and responsibilities of operators carrying out these activities should be fully clarified.

· Strengthening the harmonisation and consistency of rules within the Single Market – SMEs still face a patchwork of diverging national rules and interpretations. Such fragmentation creates barriers to the Single Market and disproportionately affects SMEs, often preventing them from expanding into new markets.

· Increase digital integration through the Digital Product Passport – The Digital Product Passport (DPP) will store information on the performance, traceability and compliance of products placed on the market. SBS supports a progressive and well-designed rollout and widespread adoption of the DPP as a requirement for products made available in the Single Market, as this has the potential to support the transition to more sustainable business models and provide economic opportunities for SMEs. However, it is essential that the DPP is manageable for SMEs and microenterprises, taking into account their resources and capacity, and does not end up creating new unnecessary requirement and barriers to SME growth.

SBS will continue to closely follow the process of revision of the NLF, which will move forward in coordination with the ongoing revision of Regulation 1025/2012 on European standardisation and the upcoming revision of EU Market Surveillance Regulation (EU) 2019/1020.

SBS comments on the adoption of the Omnibus IV package

At the end of August, SBS published its comments on the new Commission Omnibus IV package, which includes measures to digitalise the Single Market and for the possible future drafting of common specifications giving presumption of conformity.

SBS strongly supports a shift towards the digitalisation of the Single Market that reflects the needs and specificities of SMEs and microenterprises. In the comments SBS lists concrete measures should be put in place to ensure an inclusive a gradual transition towards a full digitalisation of the Single Market, including:

· Upholding the “once only” principle should be adopted: once a declaration or instruction is uploaded to an EU portal, it should be valid for all authorities and distributors.

· Longer transition periods for micro and small enterprises before digital-only solutions become mandatory.

· Support for digital upskilling and reskilling of the workforce.

· Funding opportunities for SMEs to take up and implement digital tools in their activity (eg. vouchers for microenterprises and smaller SMEs to acquire software or hire external providers to ensure compliance with legislation).

For what concerns the issue of common specifications as a possible alternative to harmonised standards to provide compliance with European legislation, SBS understands the need for a fall-back option when harmonised standards are not made available by the ESOs. However, the Commission proposal still fails to fully address some main areas of concern for SBS, namely:

The lack of guarantees in terms of inclusiveness and participation of the Comitology procedure for the approval of implementing acts, compared to the well-established processes set out in Regulation 1025/2012;
Insufficient clarity on the mechanism and transparency for the gathering of input by stakeholders in the development of the specifications;
Lack of clarity on the criteria to trigger the process of development of common specifications.

SBS and EBC call for SME-friendly implementation of sustainability rules under the CPR

Small Business Standards (SBS) and the European Builders Confederation (EBC) have issued a joint press release calling for a proportionate and workable implementation of the new sustainability requirements introduced in the revised Construction Products Regulation (CPR). While acknowledging the central role of sustainability in the future of construction, they stress that the rules must remain feasible for SMEs, which represent the vast majority of businesses in the sector and play a decisive role in Europe’s construction value chain.

SBS and EBC warn that, without careful implementation, these provisions risk creating disproportionate costs and administrative burdens for smaller companies, potentially undermining their competitiveness and limiting their contribution to the green transition. They therefore urge the European Commission and Member States to introduce the sustainability requirements gradually, accompanied by clear guidance, accessible tools and sufficient transitional measures to support SMEs in adapting to the new framework.

With this initiative, SBS and EBC reaffirm their commitment to sustainability and to ensuring that SMEs remain a driving force in the green transition. To further assist small businesses in navigating the revised CPR, the two organisations have updated their SME guide, providing plain-language explanations of new obligations along with practical checklists, visuals and examples designed to make the rules easier to understand and apply in practice.

Read the position paper here.

Read the updated guide for SMEs on the CPR here.

SBS reply to the Call for Evidence for the revision of Regulation 1025/2012 on European standardisation

At the end of July, SBS submitted its comments to the Commission call for evidence for the revision of Regulation 1025/2012 on European Standardisation.

SBS’s comments addressed the three critical areas to be tackled by the upcoming revision, as outlined in the Commission report on the evaluation of Regulation 1025, published in June, namely:

· Speed and market responsiveness in development of standards, particularly in the ICT sector;

· Further improvements necessary in the inclusiveness of the system;

· Strengthening the role of the European Standardisation System (ESS) in international standardisation.

On all three areas SBS listed concrete measures for improvement of the ESS, while maintaining the strong support for the current system and reiterating the advancements and achievements obtained, particularly with regards to inclusiveness, since the entering into force of Regulation 1025.

In particular SBS highlighted that, while the system should strive to be more agile and market-responsive, speed in standardisation often comes at a cost. The cost for a faster ESS must not come at the expense of inclusiveness or of reaching genuine consensus that addresses the positions of all relevant stakeholders, including SMEs.

With regards to inclusiveness, one of SBS’s main proposals is to amend and restructure Art. 6 of the Regulation (“Access of SMEs to standards”) by creating an exhaustive list of binding measures to improve SMEs’ access and effective participation to standardisation. The list would be based on the report and recommendations produced last year under the High-Level Forum on European standardisation, whose drafting was led by SBS.

SAVE THE DATES

MEETING STANDARDS 2025

Following the success of previous years, the annual Meeting Standards campaign returns for its third outing from 17 to 21 November 2025. This week-long initiative showcases a variety of events organised by standards bodies and SME organisations right across Europe.

Its main goals are to:

🔹Raise Awareness: Educate SMEs on the value of standardisation and its positive impact on their businesses.

🔹Foster Participation: Encourage active SME involvement in shaping industry standards.

🔹Disseminate Knowledge: Keep SMEs updated on the latest standardisation developments relevant to their sectors.

🔹Build Community: Connect SMEs and standardisation organisations across Europe.

We're calling on standards bodies and SME organisations throughout Europe to get involved by organising and putting forward their own activities for this important week. This joint effort will create a comprehensive and accessible platform for SMEs to engage with the world of standards.

Submit your activity here

SBS ANNUAL EVENT

Join us for the SBS annual event on 20 November 2025, during Meeting Standards week on the role of SMEs in renewables.

Further information and registration available in the coming weeks.

Call for SME Success Stories: Standards for Growth

Small Business Standards is still seeking SME contacts willing to share their experiences of how utilising standards has facilitated business growth and innovation. These case studies will serve as valuable resources, demonstrating the tangible benefits of standardisation and providing practical insights for other SMEs navigating similar challenges.

The final format for these success stories, whether written or video, will be determined later in the year following an assessment of potential participation.

The resulting content will:

🔹Highlight the strategic application of standards: Demonstrating how they facilitate market access, operational efficiency, and innovation.

🔹Address key challenges: Articulating the obstacles SMEs encounter and the strategic approaches employed to overcome them through standardisation.

🔹Focus on digital and green transitions: Showcasing how standards support SMEs in adapting to and leading these transformative shifts.

Last year, our Meeting Standards Week campaign reached over 25,000 stakeholders. This year, we're aiming to amplify our impact by showcasing these compelling SME success stories during Meeting Standards Week (17-21 November) and via SBS channels, demonstrating the tangible benefits of standardisation.

PARTICIPATE

SBS Lift Forum 2025 at Interlift, Nuremberg

On 14 October 2025, the SBS Lift Forum will take place at the Interlift Fair in Nuremberg, offering SMEs in the lift sector a unique opportunity to receive updates on the standards and regulations that directly shape their work.

Organised by EFESME and Small Business Standards (SBS), the Forum has become a key reference point for small and medium-sized enterprises, ensuring their perspectives are considered in European and international debates while also providing them with concrete and accessible knowledge.

This year’s programme addresses several pressing issues for lift SMEs. Paolo Tattoli, Technical Expert and Chairman of CEN TC 10 WG 8 & WG 13 (EFESME), will introduce the latest developments on EN 81-42 and the new version of EN 81-41, and explain their direct impact on SMEs. The Forum will then continue with Marco Cogliati, Technical Expert in ISO TC 178 WG 13 & ETSI Smart M2M (EFESME), who will present how digitalisation is reshaping maintenance practices and how standards can support SMEs in adopting preventive and predictive technologies.

The discussion will further explore the new Machinery Regulation, presented by Andrea Raffaelli, Senior Policy Adviser at SBS, who will highlight its differences with the previous Directive and outline the new standardisation challenges ahead. To conclude, Philippe Reyniers, Senior Legal Consultant at CSES, will analyse the ongoing evaluation of the Lift Directive and its potential impact on European standardisation.

Over the years, the SBS Lift Forum has shown its value as both a training and networking platform. It not only equips lift SMEs with the tools to navigate regulatory and technical changes, but also ensures their voices remain part of the broader conversation on how standards are developed.

The SME Compatibility Test for Standards

The SME Compatibility Test is a tool which was developed by SBS. It is based on the CEN-CENELEC Guide 17, “Guidance for writing standards taking into account micro, small and medium-sized enterprises needs”, which provides practical advice to standards developers on how to create SME-friendly standards.

SBS developed the SME Compatibility Test to evaluate how effectively standards address the specific needs of SMEs. Its aim is to ensure that standards are aligned with the characteristics and realities of smaller businesses. Ultimately, for standards to support SME growth and avoid creating unnecessary obstacles, they must be tailored to SME needs. When standards reflect these realities, they are also more likely to be adopted by SMEs.

The SME Compatibility Test can be applied at any stage of the standard development process (enquiry, approval, etc.) and is suitable for all types of standards, whether international (e.g., ISO, IEC), European (e.g., EN), or national. Its criteria focus on the quality of the content and structure of the standard, its impact on SMEs, and how easy it is to implement.

The test takes into account the different criteria, using both multiple choice and open answers provided by the user, and gives a final overall value of the SME-friendliness of the analysed standard. In late 2024, SBS completed an evaluation of the test. Based on the findings, an updated version, built on the input of our SBS experts, will be released before the end of the year. More details will be shared in our December edition of the SBS Newsletter—stay tuned!

Discover the SME Compatibility test here.

🔹SBS to participate as speaker in the ISO 2025 Annual Meeting on 6-10 October

ISO will hold its 2025 Annual meeting from 6 to 10 October in Kigali, Rwanda. The four days of discussion will promote the importance of standards in a variety of crucial topics, including international trade, artificial intelligence and biodiversity. SBS will be present at the annual meeting and be among the speakers in the roundtable Making “all voices heard” a reality, which will focus on inclusiveness and participation of SMEs in standardisation in standardisation at a global level.

🔹Proposal for the creation of a new ISO-IEC joint technical committee on the Digital Product Passport (DPP)

The German National Standardisation Bodies (DIN and DKE) have proposed the creation of a new ISO-IEC Joint Technical Committee on the Digital Product Passport. If created, the new TC would develop deliverables for the deployment of the DPP ensuring cross sectoral and cross system interoperability enabling the supply chain information flow. The new JTC would not develop sector specific standards and standards to be used for DPP-system or DPP data which are already covered by the scope of other ISO and IEC TCs The deadline to provide feedback, via SBS or your NSB, on the creation of this new TC is 28 November.