New rules under the General Product Safety Regulation entered into force Friday which ensure that all non-food consumer products, whether sold offline or online on the EU market, are safe.
The rules also clarify the obligations for businesses and help ensuring a level-playing field. The new Directive replaces the current General Product Safety Directive and the Food Imitating Product Directive, which will bring significant improvements for consumers and authorities.
“The volume of online sales has increased very significantly in recent years and this trend is likely to continue. Alongside the undoubted benefits for consumers, this has also presented challenges,” said EC Commissioner Michael McGrath: “The new rules reflect this new reality in a number of ways, including by addressing the safety of the products being purchased online. From tomorrow, consumers in the EU will be safer and better suited to seek remedy should they encounter non-compliant products.”
The Regulation is aimed at better addressing the challenges posed by the growth of online sales and direct imports from third countries.
It will guarantee a better enforcement of the rules and improve the effectiveness of recalls of dangerous products. It also brings consumers the right to remedy for unsafe products and better communication channels to report safety issues.
The new rules are expected to allow considerable savings for society and consumers, as the preventable damages from injuries and deaths caused by unsafe products amounts to €11.5 billion each year.
The Commission proposed the General Product Safety Regulation in June 2021, and the rules entered into force on 12 June 2023.
