The European Directive on General Product Safety establishes a community Rapid Information System (RAPEX) for the rapid exchange of information between the Member States and the European Commission. This system caters for measures and actions taken in relation to consumer products posing a serious risk for the health and safety of consumers.
The aims of the system are:
- To prevent the supply to consumers of products which pose a serious risk to their health and safety, and where necessary withdrawing them from the market or recalling them from consumers
- To facilitate the monitoring of the effectiveness and consistency of market surveillance and enforcement activities in the Member States
- To identify the need and to provide a basis for action at Community level, where necessary
- To contribute to the consistent enforcement of Community product safety requirements and to the proper functioning of the internal market.
Products that are excluded from the RAPEX system because they are covered by other systems are :
- Pharmaceuticals
- Active implantable medical devices
- medical devices
- in vitro diagnostic medical devices
- Food and feed
The website that provides the information on dangerous products that have been notified in the RAPEX system may be accessed on:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/health_consumer/dyna/rapex/
rapex_en.cfm
CCD carries out investigations in the Maltese market to identify products that are on the RAPEX system. CCD also notifies products that have been found unsafe in Malta.
Maltese consumers have the opportunity to participate in this system by notifying CCD if they encounter these notified products on the market. This could be done by completing this form* prepared by CCD for this purpose.
*This form should be printed, completed and sent by post to the Operations Directorate at the Consumer and Competition Division, 'Office for Fair Trading', Cannon Road, St. Venera. |
