EU-MED workshop highlights competitiveness factors for SMEs
The EU-MED workshop on standardisation and certification as competitiveness factors for European and Mediterranean SMEs highlighted factors currently of strategic importance to SMES, which include: - The importance of quality for competitiveness and economic growth; - The importance of the principle of mutual recognition as a tool for regional integration; - The need to avoid exclusion and further barriers or technical obstacles in the Euro-Mediterranean markets in view of the free trade zone to be established for 2010; - The importance of adjustments to technical standards, respect of environmental rules, certification and other regulations, and short quality system implementation; - The importance of the 'partnership' method, of networking as well as the inclusion of all interested parties in the development of standards by 'consensus-building'; - The key role of networks such as the Euro-Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce in spreading information. The workshop was organised by the European Organisation for Conformity Assessment (EOTC) and held in Vieste, Italy, on 29 and 30 April 1999.
Countries
Italy