EU to Sign "Safety Pact" with Toy Retailers and Importers
European Consumer Affairs Commissioner Meglena Kuneva will sign an agreement on Dec. 18, 2008, with representatives of toy retailers and importers as part of the European Commission's drive to improve toy safety.
"As Christmas approaches, we are once again reminded of how many households across the EU rely on the toy industry to deliver safe, reliable products," says Commissioner Kuneva. "Children are our most vulnerable consumers, and there can be no compromise when it comes to ensuring their well-being. The agreement with toy importers and retailers is a very positive sign of the industry's commitment to toy safety, and should help to further reinforce the system that has been put in place to ensure the safety of all toys sold in the EU."
Industry plays an extremely important role in ensuring a high level of product safety in the EU. Manufacturers, distributors, retailers and importers have primary responsibility for the safety of the products that are put on the market, under EU law. A product safety stocktaking exercise carried out by the European Commission at the end of 2007 (after a series of high-profile recalls), showed that while reputable businesses make significant efforts to ensure that their products are safe, dangerous goods, including toys, are still finding their way onto the EU market. This is mainly due to gaps at the lower end of the market, where safety procedures are not as rigorously respected or adhered to as they should be.
"As Christmas approaches, we are once again reminded of how many households across the EU rely on the toy industry to deliver safe, reliable products," says Commissioner Kuneva. "Children are our most vulnerable consumers, and there can be no compromise when it comes to ensuring their well-being. The agreement with toy importers and retailers is a very positive sign of the industry's commitment to toy safety, and should help to further reinforce the system that has been put in place to ensure the safety of all toys sold in the EU."
Industry plays an extremely important role in ensuring a high level of product safety in the EU. Manufacturers, distributors, retailers and importers have primary responsibility for the safety of the products that are put on the market, under EU law. A product safety stocktaking exercise carried out by the European Commission at the end of 2007 (after a series of high-profile recalls), showed that while reputable businesses make significant efforts to ensure that their products are safe, dangerous goods, including toys, are still finding their way onto the EU market. This is mainly due to gaps at the lower end of the market, where safety procedures are not as rigorously respected or adhered to as they should be.