Negotiations between the European Parliament and the EU Council, assisted by the European Commission, started on Thursday 15 September in Strasbourg on the proposal for an EU regulation on the general safety of non-food products (GPSR).
This draft regulation was presented by the Commission in June 2021, with a view to ensuring a high level of consumer protection at a time when online markets and the development of new technologies are posing new challenges requiring the replacement of the now inadequate Directive 2001/95/EC (see EUROPE 12752/2).
At this initial ‘trilogue’, each institution only presented its position.
The three institutions are keen to ensure that only safe products can be made available on the EU market, whether purchased online or in-store and wherever their origin - this is the core of the proposed regulation - to strengthen market surveillance and to clarify the obligations of online marketplaces in line with the Digital Services Act (DSA).
Dita Charanzová (Renew Europe, Czech) is leading the negotiations for the Parliament, which has, among other things, strengthened the protection of vulnerable consumers and foresees heavy sanctions for economic operators who violate safety requirements (see EUROPE 12973/12). It was decided on 16 June to open interinstitutional negotiations on the basis of the report adopted in the Parliament’s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO).
The Council adopted its position in July, including that such penalties should be proportionate to the seriousness of the infringement and remain the responsibility of Member States (see EUROPE 12997/9).
At this stage, the negotiators have tasked their teams with working at the technical level.
This first ‘trilogue’ followed the one on the Consumer Credit Agreements Directive (see other news). Both texts are part of the new ‘Consumer Agenda’, which is guiding the EU’s consumer protection policy until 2025. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)