In 2013 the European Consumer Day is coming back to Brussels. The 15th edition of the event will be held in the EESC premises on 14 March 2013 and will focus on issues related to product safety and market surveillance.

At 10.30, media will have the opportunity to engage with key speakers present at the conference:

Staffan Nilsson, President of the EESCTonio Borg, Commissioner for Consumers and HealthKieran Grace, Irish PresidencyMalcolm Harbour, Chairman of IMCO Committee, European Parliament

Unsafe non-food consumer products might not be as shocking as the latest horse meat scandal, but they still can pose a serious risk to health and safety of people.

Only in 2011, the Commission distributed through the RAPEX system 1,803 notifications on such products. And even though for the first time since the start of the operation of the current RAPEX system, the total number of notifications decreased by 20% (down from 2,244 in 2010), it doesn’t mean that we are already safe.

To improve the safety of products circulating in the EU, the European Commission has published mid-February a Product Safety and Market Surveillance Package. This package will subject of discussion during this year’s Consumer Day.

High-level speakers (coming from BUSSINESSEUROPE, BEUC or the International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization) will discuss current challenges and future opportunities related to product safety, market surveillance of products imported from outside the EU, plus a range of various other topics related to consumer protection.

A joint call for a pan-European accident and injury data system, signed by a significant number of stakeholders, will be launched during the conference.

When:

On Thursday 14 March 2013 at 9.30 a.m.

Where:

EESC, Rue Belliard 99, 1040 Brussels – Room JDE 62

For a full programme, please click here.