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25 July 2019 The EU needs rules on chemicals in coffee cups, straws and other paper food packaging, consumer test showsA new lab test shows that food packaging made of coloured paper and cardboard - such as coffee cups and straws - may contain and release chemicals originating from the inks used for printing. Paper is the second most used food packaging material after plastic. Unlike plastics, however, there are no EU rules governing paper’s use as a food contact material. |
17 April 2019 European Parliament approves reform of market controlsToday, the European Parliament’s plenary gave its approval to a reform of market controls (surveillance) in the European Single Market. This reform should improve the currently fragmented & underfunded system as from 2021. |
05 April 2019 Dangerous consumer goods once again found in high numbers in EUIn 2018, more than 2,200 notifications of non-food products were made to the EU’s rapid alert system (Safety Gate, formerly known as RAPEX) as failing safety requirements. Toys, motor vehicles and clothing were the product groups with the most notifications. |
Safety Topics
Our work areas
Dangerous substances contained in everyday products such as soaps, toothpaste and shampoo may cause allergies, cancer, disrupt the hormonal system or damage the environment. Among these chemicals are nanomaterials which are increasingly used in consumer products, although the risks they may pose to human health and the environment have not been sufficiently assessed.
Unsafe ‘CE mark’ products continue to be found on the European market. The high number of product safety warnings and product recalls show the need to revise general and sector-specific product safety legislation in order to adequately cover all risks which may be posed by products. Market surveillance and control activities are insufficient to ensure the highest level of safety possible and the level of enforcement is not yet the same across the EU.
Our objectives
- Improve the general safety of products sold on the EU market and establish a European accident and injury database
- Minimise exposure for consumers and the environment to dangerous chemicals
- Adequately and urgently address the potential risks posed by harmful chemicals including nanotechnologies and hormone disrupting chemicals
