Brussels, 16/04/2010 (Agence Europe) - The annual report by RAPEX, the EU rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products, reveals that the number of dangerous consumer products flagged up by member states rose by 7% in 2009 from the previous year, and has more than quadrupled in six years.
This, the European Commission says, is good news for consumer safety, since the increase (1993 products drawn to the Commission's attention in 2009, compared with 1866 in 2008 and only 468 in 2004), far from showing an ever-increasing number of dangerous products on the market, is proof above all of the increased vigilance of the relevant authorities, which led to the withdrawal of the said products from the market. It is proof of increased efficiency on the part of RAPEX. European Consumer Policy Commissioner John Dalli, speaking to press, hailed this improvement, just as he hailed a market surveillance operation carried out successfully last year by 13 European countries (Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Slovakia and Norway) tracking dangerous toys - the result were published on the same day.
Fewer and fewer dangerous consumer products are slipping through the net, Dalli said. The increased number of referrals to RAPEX and the increase in the capacity of the system prove the increased efficiency of enforcement by national authorities, better investment in resources, greater awareness on the part of companies as to their responsibilities, and improved coordination with third countries, he added.
Dalli will travel to the United States at the end of this month and China at the end of June to ensure the highest level of cooperation. “Our aim is to stop the flow of dangerous products at source. I have called on member states to increase their efforts in monitoring and the sanctions applicable to importers and their suppliers when products do not meet the correct standards,” he said.
In 2009, toys were, once again, the main items referred to the Commission (472 notifications, 60% of all dangerous products referred), followed by clothing and textiles (395 notifications,) motor vehicles (146) and electrical appliances (138). The percentage of referrals for goods from China rose slightly (60% in 2009 compared with 59% in 2008). The reason for this is that China is Europe's largest supplier of toys (80%), Dalli said, adding: “Through the member states, we must bring pressure to bear on our importers so that they ensure that European standards are complied with. The Commission cannot get a factory closed in China!”
The report indicates that all member states used RAPEX, detecting and referring dangerous products, and also ensuring that there was appropriate follow-up on information received. The countries making most notifications were Spain (220), Germany (187), Greece (154), Bulgaria (122) and Hungary (119), representing 47% of all referrals of products posing a serious risk to consumers.
The market surveillance operation carried out by 13 European countries in 2009 was coordinated by PROSAFE, the EU network of surveillance authorities. 14,000 toys were inspected to check if they complied with relevant safety legislation. The inspections took place mainly at importers and retailers, with customs checking 160 incoming shipments of toys. 200 samples, of the 576 which were sent to a laboratory, failed the mechanical tests, while only 17 samples failed the heavy metal requirements. Measures were taken against all to remove them from the market following RAPEX notifications. (A.N./transl.rt)