KEY FIGURES

CONSUMER SAFETY IS A PRIORITY FOR AUTHORITIES:  DID YOU KNOW?

A growing safety awareness

The total number of notifications distributed through the RAPEX system has risen gradually since 2004. In this fifth year, the number of notifications has quadrupled from 468 (in 2004) to 1866 (in 2008). In 2008, the number of notifications rose by 16% compared to 2007.

Toys and electrical appliances top the list

Most frequently notified products included:

• toys (498 notifications, 32%),
• electrical appliances (169 notifications, 11%),
• motor vehicles (160 notifications, 10%),
• clothing, textiles and fashion items (140 notifications, 9%),
• childcare articles and children’s equipment (89 notifications, 6%),
• lighting equipment (81 notifications, 5%),
• cosmetics (56 notifications, 4%),

Most frequent risks

The five most frequently notified risk categories were:

• injuries (366 notifications, 20%),
• chemical (341 notifications, 19%),
• choking (285 notifications, 16%),
• electric shock (282 notifications, 15%),
• fire (185 notifications, 10%).

Five countries accounted for 60% of all notifications:

• Germany (13%)
• Spain (11%)
• Slovakia (9%)
• Greece (9%)
• Hungary (8%)

(Source: RAPEX http://ec.europa.eu/rapex)

International cooperation with China, United States and others

China

In 2008, 59% of the RAPEX notifications concerned products of Chinese origin, including Hong Kong. Given the high proportion of notifications relating to products of Chinese origin, cooperation with the Chinese authorities on product safety has been further intensified.

United States

Europe and the United States face many similar challenges concerning the safety of products. As many products are common to both markets, a strong transatlantic relationship in this area is of key importance.  Both sides agree that the exchange of information and best practice is vital to keep consumers on both sides of the Atlantic safe from dangerous products. In the course of 2008, a closer and more frequent dialogue was established between European and US regulators. The most notable development was the adoption of the US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act.

How do you ensure that your products comply with the relevant standards before placing goods on the market?

SGS can provide you a comprehensive range of services to help you assess your consumer products and reduce risks. Product Safety and Performance Testing services are designed to prevent injuries by uncovering product design and manufacturing integrity and material quality issues.

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