Toys safer than ever, thanks to the European Union

2.24.42pm GMT Wed 28th Jan 2009

Sharon Bowles MEP with a young friend

Every year, many hundreds of products are sold which turn out to be faulty. Sharon Bowles, Lib Dem European Parliament member for the South East. has this week been celebrating European legislation which has meant that the identification of these dangerous products has reached a record high ensuring the safety of our goods.

There were 1,546 items reported faulty within the European Union last year. This figure was up by 15% from 2007 levels with children's toys remaining the area most affected. This increase in reported faults does not, however, mean that we are at greater risk, but that we are better protected. Recently published figures indicate that the EU's rapid alert system, Rapex, which surveys and records faulty goods on its website, has been working with great efficiency to ensure that Europe enjoys the highest levels of product safety.

Celebrating this success, Sharon, explained: "Thanks to Rapex, we are now experiencing greater standards in the safety and quality of goods sold in the European markets. The number of recorded faults in the EU is double the number recorded in the US on a like-for-like basis, which is strong indicator of the effectiveness of our system. With children's toys representing the area with the highest number of recoded faults, I am pleased that the EU places such a commitment on our safety."