New Approach & Global Approach as per EUROPA, portal site of the European Union
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/newapproach/index_en.htm
Since 1987 some 25 Directives, adopted on the basis of the New Approach and the Global Approach, have progressively come into force. These Directives have the dual purpose of ensuring the free movement of goods through technical harmonization of entire product sectors, and of guaranteeing a high level of protection of public interest objectives referred to in Article 95 paragraph 3 of the EC Treaty. Innovative features of this legislative technique include the definition of mandatory essential requirements, the setting up of appropriate conformity assessment procedures and the introduction of CE marking. Business and industry are given a wide choice of how to meet their obligations. The European standards bodies have the task of drawing up technical specifications which offer one route to complying with these essential requirements.
List of directives and subjects
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/newapproach/standardization/harmstds/reflist.html#na_directives
