EUGCC Trade and Investment Dialogue 16 17 May

EU-GCC Trade and Investment Dialogue 16 -17 May 2017, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Comments on the Gulf Technical Regulation for Low. Voltage Electrical Equipment and Appliances (BD-142004 Wamda 01) Saeid Elsirogi EMEA Compliance Manager Canon Europe, Sustainability Group Wamda. Saeid@canon-Europe. com Rue de la Science 14, 1040 – Brussels [Belgium] T: +32 2 609 53 10 F: +32 2 431 04 89 www. digitaleurope. org - info@digitaleurope. org

May, 2017 ABOUT THE EU-GCC TRADE AND BUSINESS COOPERATION FACILITY § The EU-GCC Trade and Business Cooperation Facility is a three-year project, financed by the EU Commission with the aim at strengthening trade, investment and business cooperation between the EU and the GCC through business networks, mutual understanding and dialogue. § The project will embark on various activities such as policy working groups, SME trainings and annual high level Business Forum conferences with the aim of forging closer links between the business communities in the EU and GCC and enhancing policy dialogue between policymakers and the private sector. § The project is managed by the leading EU and GCC private sector organizations that represent a membership base of over 2. 5 million firms: Federation of GCC Chambers, BUSINESSEUROPE, the Confederation of Danish Industry and DIGITALEUROPE as a project partner.

May, 2017 ABOUT DIGITALEUROPE Vision: A European Union and global markets that nurture and support digital technology industries, and that prospers from the jobs we provide, the innovation and economic benefits we deliver and the societal challenges we address. Mission: To foster, on behalf of our members, a business, policy and regulatory environment that best realises our vision. We will achieve this by working as positive partners with the European Institutions and other European and global bodies and, through our national trade associations, the member states of Europe.

May, 2017 ABOUT DIGITALEUROPE Members § A wide range of Multinational Companies (60) and National Trade Associations (37) § Which represent more than 27, 000 businesses and two million employees… § Thus bringing credibility and legitimacy to the organisation… § Which has become the voice of the European Digital Technology Industry.

May, 2017 DIGITALEUROPE - CORPORATE MEMBERS (I)

May, 2017 DIGITALEUROPE - NATIONAL TRADE ASSOCIATIONS Austria: IOÖ Belarus: INFOPARK Belgium: AGORIA Bulgaria: BAIT Cyprus: CITEA Denmark: DI Digital, IT-BRANCHEN Estonia: ITL Finland: TIF France: AFNUM, Force Numérique, Tech in France Germany: BITKOM, ZVEI Greece: SEPE Hungary: IVSZ Ireland: Technology Ireland Italy: ANITEC Lithuania: Infobalt Netherlands: Nederland ICT, FIAR Poland: KIGEIT, PIIT, ZIPSEE Portugal: AGEFE Romania: APDETIC, ANIS Slovakia: ITAS Slovenia: GZS Spain: AMETIC Sweden: IT & Telekomföretagen, Foreningen Telekomföretagen i Sverige Switzerland: SWICO Turkey: Digital Turkey Platform, ECID Ukraine: IT Ukraine United Kingdom: Tech. UK

May, 2017 THE EU-GCC REGULATORY DIALOGUE § The digital industry (DIGITALEUROPE) and the Toy Industries of Europe (TIE) welcome the efforts of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and its GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) in creating consistent regime for product compliance based on GSO regulations and related standards and conformity assessment procedure for the whole region. § Industry appreciates the first steps in this direction, namely the regulation for Low Voltage Electrical Equipment and Appliances (BD-142004 -01). § These regulations rely on the same principles and technical requirements as the EU for importing and selling products in the region. § This makes the GCC marketplace accessible and open for the latest innovation and product developments of our industries.

May, 2017 THE EU-GCC REGULATORY DIALOGUE § Based on the experiences with the European compliance model and international practices the toy and digital industries suggest focussing in future on the following principles for GSO’s product compliance legislation, namely to ensure that : § that once a GSO regulation enters into force, all national legislation with the same scope is repealed or effectively superseded. This will create the necessary legal certainty for manufacturers, importers and distributors that the same requirements apply across the region without deviations; § that guidance and recommendations agreed at GSO-level and the GCC Committee on Conformity Assessment (GCCA) is consistently implemented by GSO member states and made public; § that a structured and regular stakeholder engagement mechanism is developed and implemented; § that international and European standards or the equivalents GSO standards can continue to be used for compliance purposes to avoid regional fragmentation; however, this requires to also align transition periods of GSO standards with the implementation schedule of the respective international or European standards they originate from.

May, 2017 COLLABORATION OF THE EU-GCC DELEGATION ON LVE GULF TR § The EU-GCC Trade and Business Cooperation Facility assisted in reaching out to the GSO back in 2015. Facilitating roundtable discussion in 2016 that qualify recommendations and focus areas on the Impact of the new Gulf Technical regulation. § Stakeholders were invited to a workshop, that gave business leaders in the GCC ICT sector a platform to discuss business concerns with fellow peers in the EU. § The success continued and once more the EU-GCC Trade and Business Cooperation Facility established a strong foundation for a second roundtable discussion in March this year, for a comprehensive dialogue between the two communities.

May, 2017 NEXT STEPS OF THE COLLABORATIVE EU-GCC DELEGATION ON LVE GULF TR § To continue the fruitful dialogue and the success of the EU-GCC delegation exchange over the last year, the digital industry (DIGITALEUROPE) would welcome the opening of a regular annual “EU-GCC regulatory technical roundtable”. § Establishing a strong foundation for a new structure for a comprehensive dialogue between the two communities. § Representatives from the European Commission and GCC as well as the industry stakeholders should participate in these roundtable exchanges to assess the progress made in the two regions and to share best practices. § We recommend that the roundtable would be again facilitated as in the past by the EU-GCC Trade facility. § DIGITALEUROPE would like to invite the GSO to Brussels in Autumn, 2017 to address next steps and to work on the individual action items identified during the EU-GCC delegation on LVE Gulf TR § DIGITALEUROPE would like to express their full support to ensure proper engagement, alignment and follow-up from the industry and business community in the future.

ANNEX I - EU-GCC DELEGATION ON LVE GULF TR ACTION ITEMS AGREED

May, 2017 ACTION ITEMS AGREED § List (1) products: to come up with an industry proposal on what products to add to the scope of “List (1)”. To note: there will be a minimum 6 months transition period from the date of list (1) publication. B 2 C (consumer products) products, are the top priority to be added to List (1). § § List of standards: once DIGITALEUROPE finalised a proposal for List (1) products, will provide a list of common reference standards that industry uses for these products. Transition period for new “harmonised“ standards: under the Gulf Technical Regulation GSO confirmed a 2 -years default transition. To note: GSO explained exceptions are allowed if justified (with a view to become part of the LVE guide). § § § Traceability: DIGITALEUROPE will provide an alternative proposal based on “e-labelling” to address CTS and QR codes system requirements. Importer’s Document of Conformity (Do. C): DIGITALEUROPE to provide GSO with an alternative proposal based on the EU blue guide and clear separation of roles and obligations (with a view to become part of the LVE guide). Harmonisation in the GCC: GSO regulations supersede national legislations and related schemes such as the Co. C. Once we G-mark products and use self-declaration national obligations should cease to exist. To note: SASO has confirmed that GSO regulations supersede national legislations of the GCC member states.

Thank You Wamda Saeid Elsirogi EMEA Compliance Manager Canon Europe, Sustainability Group Wamda. Saeid@canon-Europe. com Rue de la Science 14, 1040 – Brussels [Belgium] T: +32 2 609 53 10 F: +32 2 431 04 89 www. digitaleurope. org - info@digitaleurope. org