Malta reported a drop in the number of dangerous products found in local shops and businesses last year, according to a report issued in Brussels yesterday.

While in 2011 Malta reported 33 cases of possibly dangerous products, the number of cases dropped to 25 last year.

The notifications sent by the Maltese authorities to Brussels last year varied from a defective automotive engine fuse box to faulty lighting fittings and socket adaptors posing a risk of electric shock.

The dangerous products found by the Maltese authorities were immediately removed from the market.

While Malta registered a decrease, the EU in general reported a 26 per cent increase with a total of 2,278 measures filed by the 27 member states against dangerous non-food products.

Clothing, textiles and fashion items, followed by toys, were the main product categories for which corrective measures had to be taken.

Among the most frequently notified risks created by these products were chemical risks, risk of strangulation and risk of injury.

The report, published by Consumer Affairs Commissioner Tonio Borg, shows that China still represents the number one country of origin in the EU’s alert system.

In 2012, 58 per cent of the total number of notifications on products presenting a serious risk were related to products coming from China.

Commissioner Borg said that in order to improve the situation, the EU is working with China on exchange of information between the authorities.

The EU’s rapid alert system is called Rapex.

Its role is to quickly disseminate information between member states and the Commission on potentially dangerous non-food products.