1. www.europeanfireacademy.eu Update on current initiatives of the European Commission to increase consumer fire safety in Europe 5 th EФA Roundtable Dr. Volker Wendt Burson-Marsteller Consultant to EФA Budapest, 14 June 2007

2. www.europeanfireacademy.eu European Commission Directorate General for Consumer Protection & Health 1 January 2007 Mrs Meglena Kuneva, Bulgarian, appointed as “Commissioner for Consumers Protection”, DG SANCO 13 March 2007 Communication on new EU Consumer Policy Strategy (2007 – 2013): Objectives: –“Empowering consumers, –enhancing their welfare, –effectively protecting them” Key points –Consumer safety moves on EC agenda –EC launches several initiatives to better protect consumers in Europe –No explicit reference to consumer fire safety

3. www.europeanfireacademy.eu European Commission - DG SANCO Relevant body dealing with Consumer Fire Safety: Directorate B: Consumer Affairs, Unit B3, Product and service Safety EФA has had 2 meetings with Head of Unit Mr Stefano Soro & relevant desk officers “Commission welcomes creation of EФA and is looking forward to establish regular contact”

4. www.europeanfireacademy.eu Recently, the European Commission has taken several initiatives to increase consumer fire safety. Some examples…

5. www.europeanfireacademy.eu 1.Child Resistant Lighters Background: CEN Standard defines requirements for child-resistant lighters (since 2002) BUT: Standards are voluntary Producers & importers are not obliged to comply (additional cost 1–5 cents per lighter) European Commission developed legislative proposal in 2005 Adoption by Member States in 2006 Result: As of March 2007: Every lighter placed on the market newly has to be child resistant Distributors/shops may still empty their existent stocks (Decision 2006/502/EC) As of March 2008: Every lighter sold in Europe has to be child resistant (Decision 2007/231/EC)

6. www.europeanfireacademy.eu 2. Hotel Fire Safety Background Again and again, people in Europe are injured / killed in hotel fires Member States and Commission have taken various attempts to review technical guidelines for hotels Dec 1986: Council adopts Recommendation (86/666/EEC) on hotel fire safety June 2001: Commission Report following impact assessment of national regulations followed by public consultation Status Commission is currently assessing, whether there is need to revisit issue

7. www.europeanfireacademy.eu 3. Reduced Ignition Propensity “RIP” Cigarettes Background In some US States & Canada RIP Cigarettes are obligatory Key issue: Ignitability and burning behaviour of upholstered furniture Commission legislative proposal 2006 exploring possibility to mandate development of technical standards by CEN Status Feb 2007: Hearing in European Parliament hosted by Arlene McCarthy –Organised by cancer / non-smoking alliance –Signing of petition calling to proceed on under General Product Safety Directive –We understand that most Member States support introduction of RIP standard Likely, that Commission and European Parliament will pursue this project

8. www.europeanfireacademy.eu 4. Upholstered Furniture Background Issue: Ignitability and burning behaviour of upholstered furniture Commission has long record of attempts to address issue Notification by France in November 2006 to introduce obligation for resistance to cigarette Status Commission currently investigating case

9. www.europeanfireacademy.eu European Commission & EФA DG SANCO has stressed interest to establish ongoing dialogue with EФA DG SANCO: –looks towards EФA for clarification of specific questions related to fire safety –Has invited EФA to provide a list of issues of predominant concerns –Is especially interested in fire statistics in Europe DG Enterprise requested information on statistics regarding fires resulting from electrical applications => EФA has every opportunity to become one of the key partners with the European Commission to improve fire safety in Europe!

10. www.europeanfireacademy.eu Please visit for more information: Dr. Volker Wendt Consultant to EФA Burson-Marsteller volker.wendt@bm.com Budapest, 14 June 2007 www.europeanfireacademy.eu