The European Commission recently published figures showing that in 2014, 2,435 unsafe products were stopped from entering the EU market or removed because they were dangerous to consumers.
Seventeen were withdrawn from the market through the intervention of the Market Surveillance Directorate (Technical Regulations Division) within the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA).
The type of products notified by the MCCAA included toys, sports equipment, cars, cosmetics, insect killers and electronic equipment.
Notification of dangerous non-food products in the EU takes place through the Rapid Alert System, known as Rapex. Through Rapex, information about dangerous products withdrawn from the market and/or recalled from consumers anywhere in Europe is quickly circulated between member states and the European Commission, so that appropriate action can be taken everywhere in the EU and consumers are well informed.
Rapex covers dangerous non-food products intended for consumers, such as toys, cosmetics, clothing and products intended for professionals, such as a machine or a construction product. When these products pose a serious risk to the health and safety of consumers, and also an environment risk, they are removed or recalled from the market.
As a European member state, Malta is active in this Rapex system, with the Technical Regulations Division of the MCCAA being the Rapex contact point for Malta.
The role of the national contact point is to coordinate the system at a national level and submit information to the Commission about dangerous products found on its own market. Notifications submitted are validated by the Commission and rapidly circulated to the participating countries for any necessary action.
Since its creation in 2003, the rapid alert system has been successfully contributing to the protection of European consumers, with more than 19,000 notifications on dangerous products sent by member states.
Consumers may claim compensation for damages due to a defective product
Over the last four years, the number of notifications has consistently exceeded 2,000 each year. These figures show the importance member state authorities and the Commission give to the protection of consumer safety.
The product categories most often notified include toys, clothing, electrical appliances and equipment, motor vehicles and childcare articles.
The high volumes of consumption of these five categories increase the chances of finding dangerous products. The risks notified for these dangerous products include injuries, chemical, choking, electric shock and strangulation.
The majority of dangerous products notified in the system came from outside the EU.
China was indicated as a country of origin of 64 per cent of notified products.
The European Commission collaborates closely with China through the Rapid alert system-CHINA application to ensure that the Chinese authorities tackle any product safety issues on the ground. Dangerous products of European origin accounted for 14 per cent of notifications.
Notifications of dangerous products are published weekly on the Europa website under the following link: ec.europa.eu/rapex.
There is also a possibility to use the recently revised search option on the website, which allows for searches of notified dangerous goods by using multiple search criteria.
odette.vella@mccaa.org.mt
Odette Vella is senior information officer, Office for Consumer Affairs, Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority.