Commission Report 2002 (Romania)

Chapter 1: Free movement of goods

Implementation of the New Approach directives has accelerated considerably over the reporting period. The programme for strengthening the national system for conformity assessment set out in the Action Plan has begun. New legislation on pharmaceuticals, chemicals, cosmetics, textiles, footwear, legal metrology, and motor vehicles has been passed or is in the process of being drafted. Work on the adoption of EN standards continues as planned. In order to prepare a market surveillance system, an Inter-Ministerial Committee for Market, Products and Services Surveillance and Consumer Protection, a Commission for Unfair Terms, and a Commission for Safety have been created - as mentioned in the Action Plan. In the context of preparing the administration to implement EC principles of food safety, Romania still needs to set up a National Food Authority. Other measures listed in the Action Plan have started as foreseen (work on the provision of information to economic operators in the food industry, the equipment of three reference laboratories and the reinforcement of inter-ministerial co-operation). As foreseen in the Action Plan, training of officials from both central and local government has started in order to ensure an appropriate implementation of the new legislation on public procurement. An inter-ministerial working group has been created to screen legislation in the non-harmonised area but work is still at an early stage. Overall, most of the Accession Partnership priorities in the area of free movement of goods have been met. Implementation of the measures under the Action Plan is largely on track.