1. Market surveillance under the General Product Safety Directive (GPSD)
Erik Hansson
European Commission
DG Health and Consumer Protection

2. The General Product Safety Directive (GPSD)
Applies to consumer products
Waives for requirements on same aspects in specific legislation

3. Business-obligations
Produce and sell only safe products
Monitor and follow up safety – trace, take actions and notify
Co-operate with authorities

4. Member-States obligations
Control: market surveillance and enforcement
Reporting
Co-operation

5. European Commission obligations
Monitor
Support
Recognise standards
Rapid EU decisions

6. Ensuring the safety of consumer products
Pre-market (preventive)
Conformity assessment requirements for many products falling under sectoral legislation
Post-market (reparative)
Monitoring and safety management requirements in GPSD

7. Organisation of Market Surveillance in Member States
Geographical
National
Regional
Local
Type of product

8. The essential market surveillance requirements of the GPSD
Somebody to do the job
Defined tasks and organisation
Investigation powers
Encourage voluntary actions
Powers to require corrective actions
Sanctions

9. The Essential operational requirements of the GPSD
Surveillance programmes
Cooperation arrangements
Scientific and technical knowledge
Complaints and notification procedures
Evaluation and review

10. Transparency Citizens right to know Except Professional secrecy
Investigation secrets

11. Commission support Networking Information exchange Tracing and recall
Exchange of expertise and best practices

12. Commission support Joint surveillance projects Specific products
Communication systems (ICSMS)
Injury data registration
Best practice in market surveillance (PROSAFE)

13. Commission control Continuos Regular Commission reports
Information exchange, RAPEX, complaints, etc.
Regular Commission reports
In depth assessment

14. Excludes: foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, medical devices.
Rapid Alerts (RAPEX)
Notifications from Member States on measures ordered by authorities or voluntary measures by business concerning consumer products causing a serious risk
Excludes: foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, medical devices.
Link: Overviews of RAPEX notifications:

15. Contact points in Member States
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

21. International co-operation
USA – CPSC
China - AQSIQ
ICPSC
International standardisation – ISO/COPOLCO

22. Guidance documents: Borderline to sectoral directives
Business notification duty
RAPEX operation
Recall guideline
Consumer safety:
Products and services