The Association For Printing And Paper Technology Within The German Engineering Federation Vdma And The Association For Suppliers Of Printing Publishing And Converting Technologies Npes Sign A Joint Declarationnbspjoint Endorsement Of Free Trade Harmonized Regulation And Mutual Recognition Of Standards And Certificateswashington Dc December 16th 2014 Ndash In A Joint Declaration Leading Associations Of German And American Paper And Printing Technologies Explicitly Endorse The Transatlantic Trade And Investment Partnership Ttip Signed By Dr Markus Heering Managing Director Of The Association For Printing And Paper Technology Within Vdma And Ralph J Nappi President Of The Association For Suppliers Of Printing Publishing And Converting Technologies Npes The Declaration Will Now Be Transmitted To Those Concerned Eu Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroumlm And Us Trade Representative Michael Fromanthe Two Associations Who In Sum Represent 730 Small Medium And Largesized Businesses With A Total Revenue Reaching Tens Of Billions Have Agreed In Bilateral Talks During The Last Months On A Joint Declaration Key Aspects Include Demands For A Complete Elimination Of Import Duties And A Harmonization Of Regulatory Frameworks Including Trade Mark Rights As Well As The Intention For Mutual Recognition Of Standards Certificates And Product Testingelimination Of Barriers Will Boost Exchange Of Goodsldquofor Us The United States Are An Important Market If Business Conditions Were Harmonized And Other Barriers Eliminated It Would Help Businesses On Both Sidesrdquo Dr Markus Heering Stated In Washington Dc When Signing The Joint Paper In Addition Mutual Recognition Of Standards Certificates And Product Testing Is Important To Financially Relieve Businesses And To Boost Reciprocal Export Of Printing And Paper Technology In 2013 American Suppliers Delivered Machines And Plants Worth Euro246 Millions To Countries Belonging To The Eu28 A Quarter Of It To Germany In Return European Producers Exported Printing And Paper Technology Of About Euro1 Billion To The Usa Of These Producers 44 Were German Ldquothe Portfolios Of German And American Producers Complement Each Other While Our Strengths Lie Mainly In Analog Printing Procedures Our American Collegues Are Very Strong In The Digital Fieldrdquo Heering Explainsmember Businesses Of Both Associations Hope For Tangible Relief Through The Ttip Agreement When It Comes To Import Duties This Mainly Means High Bureaucratic Effort Currently These Are Glaringly Disproportionate To Scored Public Revenue Through The Largely Low Duties Thus What Strains Especially Small And Mediumsized Exporters Is The Different Fiscal Economic And Environmental Regulations Of Both Markets As Well As The Differing Regulations Concerning Product Declarationunnecessary Barriers Block Chances For The Futureldquothe Mere Fact Of American And European Regulations Demanding Different Descriptions For The Exactly Same Article Thus Actually Creating A Need For Certain Descriptions Makes For Considerable Extra Effortrdquo Kai Buumlntemeyer States Managing Partner At Kolbus And Also Chairman Of The Board Of The Association For Printing And Paper Technology Within Vdma This In Turn Makes It Difficult To Match Erp Systems For Product Planning And Production Control However Joint Enterprise Resource Planning Systems Are Indispensable For Seamless Cooperation Of Production Facilities In Europe And The Usa Ndash All The More So When Considering The Visions Of Industry 40 According To Buumlntemeyer The Superfluous Bureaucracy Hinders German Mechanical Engineering Companies From Creating Added Value In The Usa This In Turn Might Obstruct Growth Chances In The Current Revitalization Of The Us Industrycontinuing The Bilateral Dialoguein Order To Exploit Potentials In The Fields Of Standards Certification And Product Testing The Association For Printing And Paper Technology Within Vdma And Npes Intend To Continue Their Cooperation Ldquono Matter What The Outcome Of Ttip We Have Already Achieved Muchrdquo Heering States In The Past Months There Has Been A Very Productive Dialogue Between The Associations Which Is Sure To Serve As A Sound Foundation For Future Cooperation Ldquowe Are Aware Of The Importance Of Harmonized Regulatory Frameworks For Our Member Businesses This Constructive Atmosphere Will Facilitate Further Negotiations Concerning Standards Norms Or The Mutual Recognition Of Certification And Product Testingrdquo He Says After All Free Trade Not Only Means Elimination Of Import Duties And Bureaucratic Hurdles It Also Means Mutual Trust This Is Another Stated Goal Of Todayrsquos Bilateral Declaration The Associations For Printing And Paper Technologies Envisage The Governing Principle Of Ldquoonce Tested Everywhere Acceptedrdquo In The Future Npes And Vdma Are Convinced That Harmonization Of International Standards Is A Key Factor In Boosting Transatlantic Commerce This Objective Should Be Promoted Through A Strong Ttip Agreement
