A propososal for a regulation adopted by the Commission on 19 December 2017 aims to strenghten controls by nationals market surveillance and customs authorities to ensure that products are safe and comply with the Union rules.

The legislation covers a large proportion of products marketed in the EU in more than 20 industrial sectors, including electro-technical products, machinery, radio/telecoms equipment, toys, medical devices, construction products and high speed rail systems.

The package consists of two regulations and a decision designed to remove barriers to the free movement of goods while improving consumer safety.

Goods package and safer products

European measures for consumer protection are intended to protect the health and safety and economic and legal interests of European consumers, wherever they live, travel or shop in the EU.

EU provisions regulate both physical transactions and e-commerce, and contain rules of general applicability together with provisions targeting specific products, including medicines, genetically modified organisms, tobacco products, cosmetics, toys and explosives.

Consumer protection (2019-2020)

EU rules on product safety are defined in the General Product Safety Directive (GPSD). Under the directive a product is safe if it meets all statutory safety requirements under European or national law. If there are no regulations or EU standards referenced in the Official Journal of the European Union, the product's compliance is determined according to other reference documents such as other European standards, national or international standards, Commission recommendations, or codes of practice. The General Product Safety Directive applies to consumer products when there are no specific provisions with the same objective in the rules of EU Law governing the safety of the products concerned. That means it applies totally to products such as child care articles or certain COVID-19 related products, such as sanitising gels and certain type of face masks and only residually to products where sectorial legislation exists such as pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Businesses must: only place products which are safe on the market, inform consumers of any risks associated with the products they supply, make sure any dangerous products present on the market can be traced so they can be removed to avoid any risks to consumers.
MEPs want more stringent EU rules to protect children Existing rules and market surveillance activities should be strengthened to ensure the safety of all toys sold on the EU market, including from non-EU countries and online.

Consumer product safety

In April 2018, the European Commission adopted a proposal on unfair trading practices in business-to-business relationships in the food supply chain.

It stems from the consensus that unfair trading practices occur in the food supply chain, with smaller operators more vulnerable to these practices due to a weaker bargaining power compared to larger operators. The proposal focuses therefore on smaller actors in the food supply chain and aims to protect them from trading practices that are imposed unilaterally. The protection covers small and medium-sized agricultural producers and other SME suppliers in the chain and imposed rules constraining the behaviour of buyers which are not SMEs.

#EUelections2019 - Helping farmers, ending unfair trading practices

IMCO trilogue on General Product Safety

MEPs, Council and Commission meet to try to reach a deal on the regulation for deforestation-free products. The new law would make it obligatory for companies to verify (so-called “due diligence”) that goods sold in the EU have not been produced on deforested land anywhere in the world. This would guarantee to consumers that the products they buy do not contribute to deforestation and reduce the EU’s contribution to climate change and biodiversity loss

Trilogue on Deforestation (regulation for deforestation-free products)

The need for an urgent EU Action Plan to ensure food security inside and outside the EU in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine emerged in the debate. This Infoclip illustrates the food chain, fields and harvests of corn, cereals, sunflowers, animal feed, shops and markets.

Infoclip: Food security inside the EU

The report debated and voted on by MEPs addresses key points for the safety of toys in the EU’s market. It tackles issues such as the need to protect children from dangerous chemicals, the challenges posed by new technologies embedded in toys, and measures to strengthen market surveillance. Closing statement by Brando BENIFEI (S&D, IT), rapporteur and by Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of promoting our European Way of Life.

Implementation of the Toy Safety Directive: closing statement by Brando BENIFEI (S&D, IT), rapporteur and by Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of promoting our European Way of Life

The report by Brando BENIFEI (S&amp;D, IT), debated and voted on by MEPs addresses key points for the safety of toys in the EU’s market. It tackles issues such as the need to protect children from dangerous chemicals, the challenges posed by new technologies embedded in toys, and measures to strengthen market surveillance. Opening statement by Brando BENIFEI (S&amp;D, IT), rapporteur, and by Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of promoting our European Way of Life.

Implementation of the Toy Safety Directive: opening statement by Brando BENIFEI (S&D, IT), rapporteur, and by Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of promoting our European Way of Life

The debate focuses on key points for the safety of toys in the EU’s market. It tackles issues such as the need to protect children from dangerous chemicals, the challenges posed by new technologies embedded in toys, and measures to strengthen market surveillance.

Implementation of the Toy Safety Directive: MEPs debate

The EP rapporteur on Toy safety, Brando BENIFEI (S&D, IT), is proposing measures to ensure that toys sold on the EU market, including from third countries and online, are safe. For instance, it addresses how to tackle chemicals contained in toys and labelling issues, the challenges posed by the new technologies embedded in toys, the need to strengthen market surveillance and to enhance the involvement of online platforms.

268 Tulokset ""

Kanavat (4)

Goods package and safer products

Consumer protection (2019-2020)

Consumer product safety

#EUelections2019 - Helping farmers, ending unfair trading practices

Videot (18)

Trilogue on Deforestation (regulation for deforestation-free products)

Infoclip: Food security inside the EU

Implementation of the Toy Safety Directive: closing statement by Brando BENIFEI (S&D, IT), rapporteur and by Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of promoting our European Way of Life

Implementation of the Toy Safety Directive: opening statement by Brando BENIFEI (S&D, IT), rapporteur, and by Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of promoting our European Way of Life

Implementation of the Toy Safety Directive: MEPs debate

Toy safety - Statement by Brando BENIFEI (S&D, IT), rapporteur

Kuvat (246)

IMCO trilogue on General Product Safety

IMCO trilogue on General Product Safety

IMCO trilogue on General Product Safety

IMCO trilogue on General Product Safety

IMCO trilogue on General Product Safety

IMCO trilogue on General Product Safety