Revision of the General Product Safety Directive: Key issues from a consumer perspective

ANEC and BEUC welcome the revision of the General Product Safety Directive (GPSD), not only as an opportunity to review its safety requirements for consumer products, but also to introduce more effective and quicker actions in the case of risk to consumers’ health and safety. This document outlines the major issues we believe should be taken into account in the revised GPSD. 

Our main recommendations include: 

1. Establishing a more effective regulatory framework, allowing quick market interventions and reliable long-term solutions, without delegating political decisions to the standardisation bodies.
2. Providing for an opportunity to apply higher conformity assessment modules than industry self declaration.
3. Ensuring that a comprehensive European legal framework for the safety of consumer products and services is in place.
4. Ensuring a more effective market surveillance system.
5. Ensuring the safety of child-appealing products through the GPSD.
6. Make specific reference to people with disabilities under categories of consumers at risk.