Adopted in 2008, the New Legislative Framework (NLF) establishes a common set of rules, definitions, and procedures that ensure products placed on the EU market are safe, compliant, and reliable, and that their conformity can be verified and trusted. It provides a coherent framework that supports both consumer protection and innovation and ensures fair competition within the Single Market.

The European Commission is currently working on the revision of the NLF – a timely opportunity to modernise Europe’s regulatory toolbox, simplify procedures, and strengthen the competitiveness of EU industries. The upcoming reform will need to address the realities of an increasingly digital, interconnected, and sustainability-driven economy, while preserving the confidence that underpins the Single Market.

In this context, some stakeholders see an opportunity to make product compliance in Europe simpler, more consistent, and more efficient by enhancing the consistency of the quality infrastructure ecosystem. Better coordination between national authorities and more uniform application of standards would ease administrative burdens and support a more predictable environment for conformity assessment bodies (CABs), enabling them to fulfil their role in verifying that products placed on the market are trusted.

As technologies advance and products become more dynamic, acknowledging this evolution is essential in modernising the NLF’s regulatory tools. The current framework is designed for products with static features. However, a rising number of products is now subject to changes after their placement on the market, including software updates, connected functionalities, or new sustainability performance claims. To strengthen consumer trust and help businesses maintain compliance throughout the product lifecycle, the revised NLF should introduce new mechanisms to enable the assessment of evolving product claims.

Listen to this Euractiv Hybrid Conference to discuss the ongoing revision of the New Legislative Framework, and what role it can play in fostering competitiveness. Questions to be addressed include:

- What should the main priorities be to ensure that the NLF remains future-proof and continues to uphold trust, safety, and competitiveness?
- As products become increasingly complex and incorporate continuous digital or sustainability claims, does the current NLF still offer adequate tools for manufacturers to demonstrate compliance credibly?
- With regulation now extending beyond products to systems, processes, and digital technologies such as AI and cybersecurity, how should the NLF evolve to stay both practical and risk-based?
- Where is the greatest opportunity for improvement in the NLF to make the European system more agile?

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