L 316/12 Official Journal of the European Union 14.11.2012 REGULATION (EU) No 1025/2012 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 25 October 2012 on European standardisation, amending Council Directives 89/686/EEC and 93/15/EEC and Directives 94/9/EC, 94/25[EC, 95/16/EC, 97/23[EC, 98/34/EC, 2004/22/EC, 2007/23[EC, 2009/23[EC and 2009/105/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Council Decision 87/95/EEC and Decision No 1673/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (Text with EEA relevance) THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 114 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments, Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (1), Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (3), Whereas: (1) The primary objective of standardisation is the definition of voluntary technical or quality specifications with which current or future products, production processes or services may comply. Standardisation can cover various issues, such as standardisation of different grades or sizes of a particular product or technical spec- ifications in product or services markets where compati- bility and interoperability with other products or systems are essential. European standardisation is organised by and for the stakeholders concerned based on national representation (the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) and the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standard- isation (Cenelec)) and direct participation (the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI)), and is founded on the principles recognised by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in the field of standardisation, namely coherence, transparency, openness, consensus, voluntary  application, independence from special interests and efficiency (the founding principles). In accordance with the founding principles, it is important that all relevant interested parties, including public auth- orities and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), are appropriately involved in the national and European () OJ C 376, 22.12.2011, p. 69. (3) Position of the European Parliament of 11 September 2012 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and decision of the Council of 4 October 2012. standardisation process. National standardisation bodies should also encourage and facilitate the participation of stakeholders. European standardisation also helps to boost the competitiveness of enterprises by facilitating in particular the free movement of goods and services, network inter- operability, means of communication, technological development and innovation. European standardisation reinforces the global competitiveness of European industry especially when established in coordination with the international standardisation bodies, namely the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Standards produce significant positive economic effects, for example by promoting economic interpenetration on the internal market and encouraging the development of new and improved products or markets and improved supply conditions. Standards thus normally increase competition and lower output and sales costs, benefiting economies as a whole and consumers in particular. Standards may maintain and enhance quality, provide information and ensure interoperability and compati- bility, thereby increasing safety and value for consumers. European standards are adopted by the European stan- dardisation organisations, namely CEN, Cenelec and ETSL European standards play a very important role within the internal market, for instance through the use of harmonised standards in the presumption of conformity of products to be made available on the market with the essential requirements relating to those products laid down in the relevant Union harmonisation legislation. Those requirements should be precisely defined in order to avoid misinterpretation on the part of the European standardisation organisations. Standardisation plays an increasingly important role in international trade and the opening-up of markets. The Union should seek to promote cooperation between European standardisation organisations and international standardisation bodies. The Union should also promote bilateral approaches with third countries to coordinate standardisation efforts and promote European standards, for instance when negotiating agreements or by seconding standardisation experts to third countries. Furthermore the Union should encourage contact