Toys – Photo © strauchburg.de – Fotolia
(BRUSSELS) – New product safety rules entered into force Monday, addressing new technological developments and globalised supply chains that have affected consumer product safety in the past two decades.
The modernised General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) framework will ensure that only safe products are offered to consumers, regardless of the origin of the products and whether they are sold in shops or on online marketplaces.
In addition, the Commission is announcing today its call for applications for the 2023 edition of the EU Product Safety Award. This competition brings together successful and talented businesses and researchers, who want to make a difference for the safety of consumers. This year, the EU Product Safety Award focuses on businesses that innovate and invest to improve the safety of young people.
The aim of the new General Product Safety Regulation is to ensure that all consumer products on the EU market are safe. It applies to non-food products, be they sold offline or online. The Regulation provides for a real safety net for consumers adressing safety of products or risks not regulated in other EU legislation, more specifically by:
- key elements such as the evolving nature of a product or its interconnectivity in the safety assessment of consumer products;
- improving the conditions for product safety between online and offline sales;
- establishing specific product safety requirements for online marketplaces to protect consumers against dangerous products sold via online marketplaces;
- extending the obligation for all non-harmonised products imported to the EU to have an economic operator in the EU responsible for the product safety issues;
- providing national authorities with necessary tools, thus stepping up their enforcement powers;
- ensuring effective product recalls by requiring direct contacts of consumers and standardised recall notices.
Also on 12 June, the Commission issued a call for application for the 2023 Product Safety Award. The award focuses on businesses that innovate and invest to improve the safety of young people. Researchers are also able to take part in the competition for the first time. The categories of the Product Safety Award include distinctions for both small and medium-sized enterprises and large companies, as well as for early-career and senior researchers. Applications are open until 8 September 2023.
General Product Safety Regulation
