The European Commission has published a table on its web site detailing the progress it has made in negotiating Protocols to the Europe Agreements on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance of Industrial Products (PECAs) with a number of accession countries.
PECAs represent a recognition of progress made in adopting and implementing the relevant EC legislation on industrial products, and in creating the necessary administrative infrastructure. They cover such elements as Good Laboratory Practice and Good Manufacturing Practice for medicinal products for human use, as well as inspection and batch certification protocols.
The PECAs have been concluded and have entered into force in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Lithuania and Latvia. Meantime, PECAs have been signed with Slovenia, the Slovak Republic and Estonia and await ratification, and a PECA-type agreement has been initialled with Malta. Formal negotiations on PECAs are ongoing with Poland and have been requested by Bulgaria and Romania.