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Written by Clément Evroux (3rd edition, updated on 08.02.2023).
The European Parliament and the Council have adopted their mandates for interinstitutional negotiations on the proposal for a general product safety regulation. These are expected to start in mid-September 2022.
The proposed regulation would replace the current General Product Safety Directive. It seeks to address the product safety challenges of emerging technologies, including use of artificial intelligence (AI) and connected devices, and to establish clear obligations for online marketplaces, which consumers increasingly use for their online purchases. The proposal would create a single set of market surveillance rules for both harmonised and non-harmonised products, including by aligning the provisions with the Market Surveillance Regulation, and would improve the effectiveness of product recalls.
On 4 July 2022, Parliament’s plenary endorsed the decision to enter into trilogue based on the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) report. That report suggests requiring that safety assessments of products take account of age suitability for children and health risks for consumers of different genders. The Council mandate, adopted on 20 July 2022, would enable consumers to choose between at least two remedies in the event of a recall, while Member States would get more flexibility for laying down penalties.
Versions
- February 2023: General product safety regulation (3rd edition)
| Three trilogue meetings were held between 15 September and 28 November 2022. The text agreed simplifies the EU’s legal framework for product safety, in particular by including references to key EU regulations, such as Regulation 2019/1020 and the Digital Services Act. The text also extends consumer protection to the new digital technologies, and reinforces consumer rights with several provisions, including the extension of the possible remedies to be offered in the event of a recall |
| Committee responsible: | Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) | COM(2021) 346 30.6.2021 |
| Rapporteur: | Dita Charanzová (Renew, Czechia) | 2021/0170 (COD) |
| Shadow rapporteurs: | Marion Walsmann (EPP, Germany) Evelyne Gebhardt (S&D, Germany) Kim Van Sparrentak (Greens/EFA, The Netherlands) Anne-Sophie Pelletier (The Left, France) | Ordinary legislative procedure (COD) (Parliament and Council on equal footing – formerly ‘co-decision’) |
| Next steps expected: Final first-reading vote in plenary |
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