BMWK and VDMA hold roundtable on trade barriers in mechanical engineering

On 10 June, a delegation from BMWK and VDMA held a roundtable to discuss important developments and trade barriers within the mechanical engineering industry in Brazil. The meeting in Rio de Janeiro was part of a series of technical exchanges between BMWK and key stakeholders during the delegation’s visit to Brazil.

The experts highlighted the importance of a harmonised QI system, especially in relation to market surveillance. Market surveillance is an important tool to prevent the import and use of non-compliant machinery. These pose significant safety risks and lead to unfair competition.

The roundtable participants also stressed that technology and digitalisation are helping to optimise market surveillance processes. One example is the Digital Product Passport. It engages consumers and manufacturers in a safer and more sustainable supply chain. However, the use of new technologies alone is not enough. QI plays a key role in this context because it makes machines interoperable. This enables them, for example, to exchange standardised data regarding their safety - which in turn helps people and the environment.

It is important to ensure the safety of both users and manufacturers, when new technologies enter the market. To do this, private sector representatives and QI institutions need to cooperate and advance comprehensive market surveillance initiatives.

The industry representatives highlighted the important work already done by the Global Project Quality Infrastructure (GPQI) and VDMA in 2019: Together they contributed to improvements in the Brazilian Regulatory Standard No. 12 (Norma Regulamentadora 12 - NR-12). This change greatly facilitated the access of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to the mechanical engineering market. It also harmonised the Brazilian standards with international best practices.

Other initiatives within GPQI, such as activities on the Global Production Language and Asset Administration Shell, helped SMEs to engage in the debate regarding digital technologies and their implementation. GPQI thus contributes to improving interoperability, digitalisation, and, consequently, market surveillance as well as trade in the mechanical engineering sector by facilitating regular exchange on these topics.

Contact us to if you would like to bring your concerns to GPQI or to learn more about our work.