Vice Minister of Economy Noreikienė: application of the principle of mutual recognition will reduce administrative burden for citizens and businesses

The conference ‘Mutual Recognition: Boosting the Single Market’ was held in Vilnius on 15 October. The representatives from the European Commission, the European Parliament, Lithuanian authorities, science and business people exchanged views on the problems of free movement and mutual recognition of goods, mutual recognition and mobility of services, people and transport.

‘Creating a fully functional Single Market is an ongoing exercise which requires our daily effort and commitment at national and EU level. Proper implementation of Single Market rules can contribute significantly to the removal of barriers that still exists in the Single Market. The principle of mutual recognition is an important tool of the Single Market governance and a significant alternative to regulation, which, despite of being necessary and reasonable sometimes, may not always be the best option’, - said Vice Minister of Economy Rasa Noreikienė.

According to the Vice Minister, the benefits of the mutual recognition principle are obvious – it reduces adaptation costs for businesses and prevents from detailed regulation of insignificant aspects. This ensures the possibility for businesses, especially SMEs, to operate effectively in the markets of other Member States.  It also reduces administrative burdens on citizens and public authorities.

There is a need to have a comprehensive analysis of the application of the principle of mutual recognition to provide a better evidence base for further policy action. The Commission should undertake evaluation of the areas where the application of the principle of mutual recognition is insufficient or problematic.

One of the goals of the Lithuanian Presidency is to devote proper attention to the principle of mutual recognition by addressing this issue in the Competitiveness Council conclusions on Single Market policies.

The mutual recognition principle guarantees free movement of goods and services without the need to harmonize the Member States' national legislation. Goods which are lawfully produced in one Member State cannot be banned from sale on the territory of another Member State, even if they are produced according to technical or quality specifications different from those applied to its own products.

The event was organized by the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Lithuania, ‘BusinessEurope’ and the Lithuanian confederation of industrialists LPK.