POSITION| TECHNOLOGY POLITICS | STANDARDISATION
Omnibus IV Simplification Package Common Specifications Feedback
1 September 2025 Background On 21 May 2025, the European Commission published its new Single Market Strategy. In addition to addressing barriers within the Single Market, the strategy outlines current challenges facing the European standardisation system. Notably, the system struggles to meet both the evolving demands of the market and the EU’s political objectives. This is particularly evident with regard to the timely provision of harmonised European standards (hEN), which negatively affects the functioning of the internal market. To address these shortcomings, the Commission is implementing the revision of the Standardisation Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 and the systematic application of Common Specifications through the Omnibus IV package. Common Specifications, adopted via implementing acts, are intended to serve as an alternative to hEN in cases where these are unavailable, delayed or insufficient to demonstrate compliance with EU legislation. German industry welcomes the uniform and horizontal regulation of this instrument. At the same time, we emphasise that Common Specifications should only be used as an alternative to harmonised standards in well-justified exceptional cases. Furthermore, we wish to highlight that key questions remain unresolved regarding the framework conditions and rules governing their development, application, and withdrawal. Below, we present our proposals and positions on this matter for further consideration.
Helena Weizel | Environment, Technology and Sustainability Department | T: +49 30 2028-1589 | h.weizel@bdi.eu | www.bdi.eu