1. Exchange of information about dangerous products via the RAPEX system
Annukka Ojala
DG Health and Consumer Protection
European Commission

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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:

5. 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:

6. 1 3 2 3 1 4 2

7. 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

8. 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

9. Dangerous Products

10. 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:

12. RAPEX Statistics
January – September 2006: 755 notifications
- 661 serious risk notifications

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

17. 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: