RAPEX 2018: Who still imports dangerous products in the EU?

Thanks to the RAPEX system, information on dangerous products withdrawn from the market and/or recalled by the manufacturer anywhere in Europe is quickly transmitted to the Member States and the European Commission. In this way appropriate follow-up measures can be taken throughout the Community to protect consumers such as:

• Prohibition / cessation of sales;
• Withdrawal from the market;
• Recall by the manufacturer;
• Refusal of importation by customs authorities.

For 2018, products not meeting safety standards The most reported are toys (31%), motor vehicles (19%), clothing, textiles and fashion products (10%), electrical appliances (8%) and cosmetics (7%).

In fact, the Risks identified are mainly chemical hazards (particularly in relation to the REACH regulation) and injuries (25%), but also suffocation (18%), electric shock (10%) and fire (8%)*.

No surprise, more than half (53%) of the dangerous products detected come from ChinaHong Kong and Taiwan. But almost 1/4 (24%) of the alerts concerned products originating in the European Union! In 10% of cases, no origin could be determined by the local authorities...

In response to warnings and measures taken against dangerous products,4050 follow-up actions were carried out in 2018 by network members, mainly on motor vehicles or vehicle parts.

* Detailed infographic: « Alerts and follow-up actions by country in 2018»(source: European Commission)