UNUnited Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Press Release

[Index]      

International Forum examines effectiveness of
national monitoring systems for product safety

Geneva, 8 November 2002

On 29 October 2002, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) held an International Forum on Market Surveillance to examine and compare how Governments ensure that products placed on national markets are safe.

More than 100 participants from about 40 countries attended the one-day event. The Forum, which was organized by the Working Party on Technical Harmonization and Standardization Policies provided an opportunity for participants to examine specific features of market surveillance, as well as focusing on selected sectors through study groups on electrical household appliances, machinery (for both private and professional use) and cosmetics.

Participating in the Forum were governmental policy makers, representatives of market surveillance bodies, private manufacturers and associations, consumer organizations and other agencies involved in the multi-faceted process of market surveillance. Discussions showed that different approaches to the concept and its implementation are pursued within the UNECE region. Hence, communication is important.

Participants agreed that, in order to be efficient, market surveillance required the following "pillars" on the national level:

general legal and institutional framework (including, at least, laws on safety of products and on product manufacture liability);

specific technical regulations for products, to be observed by manufacturers and suppliers;

means to demonstrate compliance (e.g. manufacturer's declaration or certification);

tools for enforcement, i.e. the right to ban or withdraw non-compliant products from the market.

Issues and concerns raised at the Forum included:

how to strike a reasonable balance between less restrictive forms of market control (that have a negative impact on business) and the need to ensure the confidence of consumers/users in the safety of goods;

the need to raise awareness among manufacturers of existing or planned safety regulations, thus preventing occasional non-compliance of goods;

the consideration of stricter action against suppliers that deliberately place non-compliant products on the market;

how to address the issue of products with CE marking (but non-compliant with EU legislation) that are placed by manufacturers from the EU, and other parts of the world, on the markets of third countries;

cooperation and coordination between the different market surveillance authorities, communication and information exchange both at national and regional levels;

efficient and transparent national market surveillance systems and procedures and their harmonization.

These and other questions will be analysed in detail by a new team of experts that is being proposed to be established under the Working Party.

For further information, please contact:

Mr. Serguei Kouzmine
Trade Development and Timber Division
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
Palais des Nations
CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

Tel: +41 (0) 22 917 2771
Fax: +41 (0) 22 917 0479
E-mail: [email protected]

 

Ref: ECE/TRADE/02/09