Exchange of information about dangerous products via the RAPEX system Annukka Ojala DG Health and Consumer Protection European Commission
The New General Product Safety Directive (2001/95/EC) RAPEX System The New General Product Safety Directive (2001/95/EC) in force since 15 January 2004 GPSD applies to non-food consumer products, including Products migrated from professional use Products supplied within a service Applies in its entirety to consumer products not covered by “sector” legislation Applies partially to consumer products covered by “sector” legislation
RAPEX System What does this mean in practice? For consumer products not covered by “sector” legislation (exists for toys, electrical products, machinery, cosmetics etc.) Product safety requirements For nearly all consumer products: Safety management requirements for producers and distributors Market surveillance obligations for Member States RAPEX-system Powers for Community emergency measures
European Rapid Alert System (RAPEX) RAPEX System European Rapid Alert System (RAPEX) Ensures that information about dangerous products identified in one Member State is quickly circulated to the other Member States and the Commission for appropriate follow-up RAPEX Guidelines: http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_safe/prod_safe/gpsd/operational_guidelines_en.htm
Requirement of cross-border effect RAPEX System Scope of RAPEX Notifications from Member States on restrictive measures ordered by authorities or voluntary measures by business concerning consumer products causing a serious risk Requirement of cross-border effect Excludes: foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, medical devices Overviews of RAPEX notifications: http://ec.europa.eu/comm/dgs/health_consumer/dyna/rapex/rapex_archives.cfm
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RAPEX System RAPEX notification content Information enabling identification of the product Full description of the risk Measures taken to prevent risks Information for tracing the product
Contact points in Member States RAPEX System Authority A Authority B Contact points in Member States Authority D Authority C DG B DG A DG Health and Consumer Protection DG C DG D
Dangerous Products
Main rule access to information on dangerous products RAPEX System Transparency Main rule access to information on dangerous products Weekly RAPEX publication Statistics Limited exceptions in justified cases (e.g., business secrets) Statistics and weekly RAPEX publications: http://ec.europa.eu/comm/dgs/health_consumer/dyna/rapex/rapex_archives.cfm
RAPEX Statistics January – September 2006: 755 notifications - 661 serious risk notifications
54% 100 50 20 10 Germany Hungary United Kingdom Spain Greece 17% 16% 9% Greece 10% United Kingdom 11% Hungary 16% Germany 17% 54% 100 50 20 10
65% 50 10 Toys Electric appliances Lighting Motor equipment vehicles Categories of products notified under Article 12 (1st January - 30th September 2006) 146 136 92 55 29 24 18 17 15 14 13 9 5 4 3 2 1 50 100 150 200 Toys Electric appliances Motor vehicles Lighting equipment Cosmetics Clothes Lighters Hobby/sports equipments Child care articles Others Children's equipments Furniture House-hold articles Decorative articles Candles Construction products Gadgets Kitchen/cooking accessories Laser pointers Tools Computer hardware Gas appliances Oil lamp Personal Protective Machine tools accessories Garden furniture Jewellery Imitations products Recreational crafts Stationary Chemical products Fireworks Heating appliances Toys 22% Electric appliances 21% Motor vehicles 14% Lighting equipment 8% 65% 50 10
83% 180 120 40 Nature of the risks Electric shock Choking/ Suffocation 186 182 136 119 63 41 6 5 4 50 100 150 200 Electric shock Injury Fire/burns Choking/Suffocation Chemical Health risk Bacteriologic Explosion Carcinogenic Others Nature of the risks Fire/burns 18% Injury 24% Electric shock 25% Choking/ Suffocation 16% 83% 180 120 40
Thank you for your attention ! RAPEX System Thank you for your attention ! More information on the topic can be found on the Commission’s website: http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_safe/index_en.htm