Single Market: Commission welcomes agreement on its proposal to strengthen controls of products

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The Commission welcomes the provisional agreement on the Regulation on Market Surveillance and Compliance reached yesterday by the European Parliament and Council. 

This Regulation will strengthen controls by national authorities and customs officers to improve checks on products on the EU market and remove unsafe and illegal products. Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska, responsible for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs said: “Whether it is toys, electronics, cars or breast implants – faulty products have no place in the EU. The Single Market is built on trust. With these new EU rules we are protecting consumers and honest businesses against rogue traders that try to sell unsafe products in Europe.” Actions against unsafe or illegal products can only be effective when authorities work together and share information. The new Regulation will therefore intensify sharing of information about illegal products and ongoing investigations so that authorities can take effective and rapid action against illegal products. It will also help national authorities to improve checks on products entering the EU market and strengthen controls at the external borders. The Regulation is part of a package of measures on safe products in the Single Market proposed by the Commission in December 2017, and follows the November 2018 Communication “The Single Market: Europe’s best asset in a changing world” which called on Member States to renew their political commitment to the Single Market. Once formally approved by the European Parliament and Council, the Regulation will start to apply in 2021. 

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