More information about dangerous products exchanged between Member States
The weekly overview prepared by the Commission useful to retailers
The RAPEX system for exchanging information between EU Member States helps to prevent dangerous consumer products from being introduced to new markets. The latest report, covering the year 2008, shows that there is now information available on a growing number of dangerous products.
Using the RAPEX rapid alert system, EU Member States can exchange information on measures connected with dangerous consumer products. On its website, the European Commission publishes a weekly overview of the products that have been found to be dangerous in a Member State and entered in the system.
The number of notifications entered in RAPEX has increased considerably during the past few years. In 2008, the notifications numbered 1,545 compared with 701 in 2005. The number of notifications has increased because new Member States have joined RAPEX and because the Member States are using the system more efficiently. The increase in the number of notifications does not, however, mean that the number of dangerous products on the market has also increased.
Nearly one third of the notifications entered in the system concerned toys. A large number of notifications were also made of electrical equipment, vehicles and children’s clothing. This is partly because many countries put a great deal of emphasis on the control of these product groups.
Finnish authorities entered a total of 61 notifications in the system in 2008. They concerned such items as phthalate-containing toys, toys from which small parts come loose, car interior heaters that can cause an electric shock, and solariums that can cause burns.
The RAPEX system can be used by the authorities, companies and consumers. Retailers and buyers in particular are advised to check the latest weekly overviews. This ensures that dangerous products do not end up at shop shelves, obviating the need for costly damage-control measures. Companies are responsible for the safety of their products and have an obligation to notify authorities of any safety defects and risks detected in them.
The report covering the year 2008 compiled by the European Commission will be published today, on 20 April 2009.
The report and the weekly overviews and monthly statistics produced by the Commission