Press Release: Commission seeks to boost free movement of goods by putting basic principles back in the spotlight

The European Commission published a Communication on 28 October 2003 clarifying the 'mutual recognition' principle and aiming to help businesses and national administrations make it work better. Mutual recognition should allow products legally manufactured and/or sold in one Member State to be sold in all the others without further formalities. This principle underpins the EU Internal Market and, without compromising consumer protection, avoids businesses suffering the costly technical and bureaucratic burden of complying with different detailed national rules in each Member State before they can sell their products there. Mutual recognition applies in many areas where there is no EU Directive or Regulation setting out specific rules applicable throughout the Union. As well as reducing red tape for businesses, it should ensure consumers have access to a wide range of products from all over the EU, thus boosting competition and helping keep prices down. However, many national administrations and economic operators seem to be unfamiliar with the mutual recognition principle, meaning it is often not properly applied. That deprives both businesses and consumers of the full potential benefits of the Internal Market.

http://ec.europa.eu/comm/internal_market/en/goods/mutrec.htm http://ec.europa.eu/comm/internal_market/en/goods/mutrec.htm

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