SGS, the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company, has published a SafeGuardS to provide stakeholders with an overview of the new European Union (EU) General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR).
Regulation (EU) 2023/988, the GPSR, was published in the Official Journal of the EU on May 23, 2023. It replaces and repeals:
– General Product Safety Directive 2001/95/EC
– Directive 87/357/EEC
It also amends:
– Regulation (EU) 1025/2012
– Directive 2020/1828
The General Product Safety Directive has been a safety net for consumers when products do not fall under the scope of other regulations. Replacing it with a regulation means clear and detailed rules for product safety are imposed across the EU without the risk of divergent transposition by Member States.
The introduction of the GPSR seeks to address some of the concerns that have been raised in relation to products currently in circulation in the EU that do not meet safety requirements.
These include:
– Challenges linked to new technology
– Challenges related to the growth of online sales
– Complex market surveillance rules – not fully efficient and often not consistent with rules relevant for harmonized areas
– Potential lack of efficacy in recalling unsafe products from consumers
– Inconsistency of application for safety rules for food-imitating products across the EU
– Need to align provisions on standardization with relevant regulation
It can be assumed these problems will only increase as globalization and digitalization evolve.
The GPSR applies to products placed or made available on the European market, whether new, used, repaired or reconditioned, insofar as there are no specific provisions with the same objective of safety under Union law.
SGS has published SafeGuardS 088.23 to provide stakeholders with an overview of the move from the General Product Safety Directive to the GPSR. It includes details of several novelties introduced by the new regulation, covering subjects such as the definition of ‘economic operator’, the challenges associated with growth in online sales and the integration of the regulation for food imitating products.
To learn more, interested parties are advised to review SGS’s original SafeGuardS 088.23 to gain a more complete idea of how the introduction of the GPSR is going to affect their business.
Published on May 23, 2023, the GPSR entered in force on June 13, 2023. There is now an 18-month transition period, with the new regulation being applied from December 13. 2024.
SGS Consumer Product Services
SGS provides news about the development of regulations affecting consumer products as a complimentary service. With an unrivalled global network of laboratories, they offer physical/mechanical testing, analytical testing and consultancy work for technical and non-technical parameters applicable to a comprehensive range of consumer products. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested. Learn more about SGS’s Consumer Product Services.
SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full Europe publishes new Regulation on General Products Safety SafeGuardS.
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For further information contact:
Catherine Follin-Arbelet
Juvenile Products International Expert
Tel: (+33) 0628502588
Email: cp.media@sgs.com
Website: www.sgs.com/hardlines
LinkedIn: SGS Connectivity & Products
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