GPSR deal: Safer products on the market will benefit EU citizens

The Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament welcomes today’s agreement reached by this House, the Commission and the Council on the General Product Safety Regulation, which increases protection for EU consumers and covers all non-food products sold offline and online.

Our political group led the legislative process in the Parliament, insisting on a number of key elements to reduce the value of damage caused by unsafe products by more than 5.5 billion euros in the next decade.

Every product will have to undergo more controls and everyone involved in the supply chain, including online markets, now have a “see something, say something” requirement. The agreed legislation requires that every product needs to have a legal representative inside the EU, even if it is a product sold straight from China, meaning that someone can be held responsible if something goes wrong.

Another goal of this legislation is to impose a quick response from the producer or seller to withdraw a product flagged as unsafe. In case a product is recalled, the buyer must be notified by email and offered a choice of at least two remedies: repair, replacement or even getting their money back. In case an accident is caused by a product, it must be reported and the information submitted to the EU wide database on products.

MEP, Dita Charanzová (ANO, Czech Republic), Vice-President of the European Parliament and rapporteur on General Product Safety Regulation, said:

"Today's agreement is a big victory for European consumers - it gives them a reason to feel safe buying any product within the EU. Products will be safer in general, but more importantly dangerous products will be removed more quickly, including from online marketplaces. And you will no longer learn about recalls by chance, but instead you will be informed directly whenever possible and given options to repair, replace, or get your money back. These are practical benefits for our citizens."