EuroCommerce, the body that represents the retail sector in Europe, has said that the inspection of direct sales from non-EU manufacturers and sellers has revealed the influx of a high percentage of non-compliant and dangerous products in European markets.
Speaking on the occasion of International Product Safety Week, the director general of EuroCommerce, Christian Verschueren, said that, apart from causing harm to consumers, these products are also a source of unfair competition for EU producers, importers and retailers, who work hard to make their products compliant with EU standards.
Market Surveillance System
Presently, EU lawmakers are discussing a proposal to implement a market surveillance system that ensures fair, competitive rules for manufacturers and helps in improving consumer confidence.
In order to be effective, the system needs to identify operators that deliberately circumvent EU rules, and remove dangerous products from the market, EuroCommerce noted.
Verschueren added, “Any new regulation has to reflect this new reality and help national authorities in responding appropriately to these threats.
“Rogue traders who deliberately bring non-compliant products into the EU should be stopped and punished,” he furthered.
The body feels that improving coordination between national authorities and customs authorities, through various measures, will help in stopping products at the border.
It has welcomed the move to abolish the VAT-free threshold – €22 in most member states – for imports of consignments from non-EU sellers and manufacturers in 2021, but the body feels that it should be implemented sooner.
Unchecked Product Streams
In order to further control the volume of unchecked product streams entering the union, EuroCommerce will also call for removing the €150 exemption from customs duties.
It will also ask the European Commission to include new initiatives that create a more accurate picture of the extent of these product streams.
Linking the present rapid alert system for dangerous products to the new computerised systems used for collecting VAT is one of the initiatives.
Verschueren said, “The bottom line is that better enforcement, and compliance support, where needed, will stop this major risk to EU consumers.
“It will also be a positive signal to encourage the efforts of law-abiding traders to bring safe and compliant products to the market,” he furthered.
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
