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Consumer expectations on market surveillance

EMARS Strategy Workshop

Chiara GiovanniniANEC Programme Manager

ContentContentss

• ANEC in a nutshell

• What do consumers want

• Conclusions

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History

• Established in 1995 by national consumer organisations and public authorities in EU Member States and EFTA countries

• Supported (co-funded) by the European Commission and EFTA

• Consumer Organisations contribute ‘in kind’

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Mission

• Represent and defend consumer interest in standardisation, certification and related legislation

• Influence legislation related to standardisation

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Safety, performance,

quality, accessibility and

environmental aspects of

products and services

Scope

ANEC Priorities

• Child Safety• Design for All

• Domestic Appliances

• Environment

• Information Society

• Services

• Traffic Safety

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Member of

Associate Member of

Cooperating Partner of

Full member of

Member of

Observer to ISO-COPOLCO

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Consumers expect that...

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All products on the

market aresafe!

• Manufacturers are responsible for the safety of their products

• Standardisation sets the criteria for safety

• Government is responsible for market surveillance

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Consumers expect that...

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Consumers do not expect that...

The product poses a risk of injuries and cuts because the metal shaft of the saddle sticks out from the lower side of the frame and has no protective cover(RAPEX not. 7 0480/08)

Product safety

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Conformity assessment

Market surveillance

Standards

Consumers role

• Participation in standardisation is key but system needs to be open

• Product testing can show deficiencies in market surveillance but it is costly

• Consumers need objective

information to make informed choices

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Conclusions

Resources must be committed by Member States, who are responsible for it under subsidiarity, if market surveillance is to be effective

There must be an effective system of peer assessment of the national surveillance authorities

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More efforts to reinforce administrative co-operation and information exchange amongst Member States and with the European Commission are needed

EMARS project contribution is essential to this regard

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Conclusions

Conclusions

Lack in enforcement of standards and safety law allow unsafe products to circulate in the Internal market and thus undermine the consumer confidence

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Thank you for your attention!

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