Brussels, 28 September 2017 – Small Business Standards’ third annual conference coincides with the fifth anniversary of the EU Regulation 1025/2012 on European standardisation. Featuring key speakers from the public and private sectors, the half-day conference will focus on the impact so far of this regulation on SMEs. It takes place on 10 October 2017 in the Solvay Library in Brussels.

Small Business Standards (SBS), the European association representing SMEs in standardisation, has put together a compelling programme for its 2017 annual conference. The two main topics of the conference revolve around progress in involving SMEs in European standardisation as well as a debate on whether today’s standards are fit for purpose for SMEs.

The conference will line up a number of high-level speakers and stakeholders active in standardisation. Among them are European and national institutions with responsibility for standardisation, a European policy think-tank, plus four representatives from a range of businesses bound to keep a watchful eye on standards – notably nutrition, safety at work, construction, and tattoo parlours.

According to Gunilla Almgren, SBS President, who has the honour of opening the SBS third annual conference, “A more open, transparent, inclusive and better functioning standardisation system contributes to the objectives of the Single Market as well as to the competitiveness of smaller European companies. With this conference, SBS aims at increasing its understanding whilst raising awareness, among various stakeholders, of the situation of SMEs in the context of standardisation five years after the adoption of the Regulation.”

SBS Director Christel Davidson added: “Five years is not a long time, but in terms of legislation it makes a big difference. Since 2012, we have acquired sufficient expertise and experience to draw some important conclusions from this Regulation and its impact on SMEs across Europe. At our conference, we look forward to sharing and hearing the views of others.”

Programme
Registration

Venue: Solvay Library, Rue Belliard 137, 1000 Brussels

Simultaneous interpretation will be provided in French, German and Italian.

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EDITORS’ NOTES: Small Business Standards (SBS) is the association suporting European SMEs in standardisation. SBS is co-financed by the European Commission and EFTA.
Further information: Christel Davidson, Director, +32 (0)2 285 07 15, c.davidson@sbs-sme.eu
Press and event contact: Tessa Delville +32 (0)2 285 07 04,  pressoffice@sbs-sme.eu