Stavroula Chrisdoulaki

Mutual Recognition of Product Standards Stavroula Chrisdoulaki

Seminar paper from the year 2010 in the subject Politics - International Politics - Region: Western Europe, grade: A, University of Flensburg, language: English, abstract: The European Community from its establishment attempted to enhance the economic integration and also to complete it with a political one. In European Union, as we know today, there are plenty of institutions and organs that serve this aim. Common Market-and its part of Internal Market- is the main tasks of European Union and the four fundamental freedoms of goods, persons, services and capital are to be ensured and encouraged within the European area. From the creation of European Community the removal of tariff barriers was essential for further integration, which easily came into force, by establishing Customs Union. The European Union in order to enhance the trade between the Member States and also to promote deeper integration adopted the harmonization policy, which simply means the approximation of all national laws that implies and confirms the supranational character that EU has (at least in some areas). Although, the harmonization policy is more secure for a supranational body, as EU is, has also disadvantages that mostly came into light from the practical experience. The New Approach Directives and the principle of Mutual recognition were adopted by the EU not only due to the weaknesses of the harmonization policy but more to eliminate these weaknesses. Following there is an attempt to examine the Old in comparison with New Approach and particularly to observe the Mutual Recognition principle and the new regulations that are being into force.