General product safety directive
EU rules on product safety are defined in the general product safety directive. Under the directive a product is safe if it meets all statutory safety requirements under European or national law.
If there are no regulations or EU standards, the product's compliance is determined according to other reference documents such as national standards, Commission recommendations, codes of practice.
Safety of products sold online
Exceptions
The directive does not cover the following products, which are regulated separately
- pharmaceuticals
- medical devices
- food
Responsibilities of businesses
​Businesses must
- only place products which are safe on the market
- inform consumers of any risks associated with the products they supply
- make sure any dangerous products present on the market can be traced so they can be removed to avoid any risks to consumers
To report dangerous products to national authorities businesses can use this tool Business Gateway
Responsibilities of national authorities
​Appointed national authorities are responsible for market surveillance. They
- check whether products available on the market are safe
- ensure product safety legislation and rules are applied by manufacturers and business chains
- apply sanctions when necessary
National authorities send information about the measures they have taken against dangerous products found on their markets to Safety Gate, the EU rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products.