This is the third publication in a series of guidelines aimed at supporting market surveillance authorities, customs authorities and economic operators to assess the conformity of machines with existing European product safety law.

Says CECIMO Technical Committee chairman Juha Mäkitalo: “The circulation of non-compliant products within the EU market puts both the safety of workers and the competitiveness of the European machine tool industry at risk. The aim of the CECIMO guidelines is to contribute to a more effective market surveillance in the internal market.”

CECIMO says that EU legislation lays down the essential requirements for products to conform to, in order to guarantee a high level of protection for the health and safety of consumers, workers and the environment. The non-enforcement of these regulations creates unfair competition and undermines the competitiveness of those economic operators who do comply with the rules. Post-market control, in the form of market surveillance, therefore, has an important role in creating a level playing field.

Adds Mäkitalo: “The increasing number of products and the complexity of some of these products and legislation make sometimes difficult for national authorities to respond adequately to the challenges of the market. Through the guide, we share our sectorial knowledge with the relevant stakeholders and facilitate market surveillance.”