Details
Risk Assessments are an intrinsic part of the legislative framework that relates to weighing and measuring equipment. It is explicitly stated in both Directive 2014/31/EU and Directive 2014/32/EU that it should be considered in the decision-making processes of manufacturers, importers and market surveillance authorities.
There are a number of different risk assessment frameworks used by different stakeholders; there is a general EU risk assessment methodology for the surveillance of products in the EU, a specific risk assessment for the legal metrology market surveillance and a proposed risk assessment for software development.
It is important to have a consistent and transparent development of risk assessment procedures that are known and agreed by all different stakeholders so that the market can operate consistently.
Well-defined risk assessments necessary
The application of a consistent risk assessment methodology is crucial for the continuing success of the legal metrology sector. The failure to have this would exacerbate the inconsistent application of legislation. This could possibly harm end-users, customers and the weighing industry.
Therefore, CECIP wants to see the development of risk assessment procedures to ensure that more meaningful decisions can be made in the market.
Furthermore, the use of a wide range of different risk assessment methods can lead to inconsistent conclusions in different areas and increased difficulties for the market.
Hence, consistent and transparent risk assessment methods need to be developed to ensure that all sectors and functions will be treated similarly.
Work needed at different levels
Risk assessments models are currently discussed and used at different levels such as WELMEC WG 5 and 7 and at EU level. CECIP fully supports these developments and contributes where possible in improving these risk assessment models.
CECIP calls on all relevant stakeholders to co-operate to work on consistent and transparent models that all operate to the same criteria.
The CECIP position paper can be found here.
