Club of bologna proceedings

Theodor FRIEDRICH 
I have a question regarding the different types 
of testing standards. We have heard in the be-
ginning that there are tests on performance and 
work quality which tend to be more in the inte-
rests of the manufacturers than the clients. The-
re are other tests or standards regarding safety 
and environmental features which are in some 
cases mandatory tests, and I think there is still a 
sort of difficult situation. For example if we look 
at sprayers, in Germany sprayer standards are 
not even dealt with by the DLG, and in Italy I 
understand that as of next year CONAMA will 
handle sprayers, from the mandatory side. We 
heard in the presentation from Japan that 
BRAIN is a sort of official institution. What does 
that mean? For example are the tests generally 
mandatory in Japan, and what sanctions exist 
for manufacturers who do not submit their e-
quipment to testing at all? Are they excluded 
from marketing in Japan, or is there no sanction 
at all, or does it apply only to certain features 
like safety? What is the situation there? 

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149
 
Walter MEIER 
FAT - Switzerland 
From the point of view of our country, there is a 
different understanding and even a different phi-
losophy of testing, and we are very glad that the 
first step is not to try to unify the test methodo-
logy. We know from past experience that a lot of 
steps in this direction have not been successful. 
So I would say the basic philosophy is that I 
know I have good colleagues in Italy, in Ger-
many, in Austria... and I know what the stan-
dard of testing is in that country. So before a 
machine is tested I get the conditions, I get the 
methodology which they are using - say - in I-
taly. And it’s our decision to join or not. And 
methodology is not the only reason, but also the 
fact that in Italy they may be testing machines 
which are of no interest for Switzerland, for in-
stance tomato-harvesting machines. So I don’t 
join the test.. I think it’s really not the time to 
discuss whether we can unify the latest details 
of testing methodology. But it’s essential that I 
know the conditions under which they do the 
tests. And finally we are free in our country to 
sign or not. I think it’s another kind of appro-
ach.