The European Commission has unveiled its annual report on Safety Gate, the European Rapid Alert System for dangerous non-food products.
The report, which presents an overview of dangerous products notified in the Safety Gate in 2024, shows that 4,137 alerts were notified last year – the highest ever recorded amount of alerts since the launch of the system in 2003. The report also outlines the follow-up actions taken by national authorities of the EU Member States, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein to prevent harm to consumers and stop the sale of hazardous products.
“Year after year, the Commission has strengthened and modernised its tools to ensure that the products entering our homes are safe,” said Consumer Protection Commissioner Michael McGrath: “At the heart of this effort is the Safety Gate Rapid Alert system, which enables us to swiftly address the risks posed by dangerous goods across the EU.”
Last year, cosmetics (36%) remained the most frequently reported products posing health risks, followed by toys (15%), electrical appliances (10%), motor vehicles (9%) and chemical products (6%).
Chemical ingredients were the main cause of risk in almost half of the alerts. Dangerous chemicals detected included cadmium, nickel and lead in jewellery, as well as allergenic fragrances in body oils, and synthetic chemicals used to soften the plastic, for example in some clothing. 97% of the cosmetics notified were reported to contain BMHCA, a banned synthetic fragrance, which can harm the reproductive system and cause skin irritation.
Alerts registered in the Safety Gate system trigger a robust response from market surveillance authorities with over 4,200 follow-up actions taken to stop the sale of these products or even take them off the market.
2024 Annual Safety Gate Report and factsheet
Businesses obligations concerning product safety
General Product Safety Regulation
