ENPC | European Nursery Products Confederation

Main European Legislation

The protection of children is the ENPC’s main objective and our members are totally dedicated to guaranteeing child safety by ensuring their products minimally meet the requirements of the Directive 2001/95/EC “General Products Safety” of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 December 2001. The scope of the General Products Safety Directive (GPSD) exists to ensure that only safe consumers’ products are placed on the Community market where no sectorial legislation exists.

For child safety products, the improvement of the traceability system for the economic operator, safety standards and joint action with the Market Surveillance operators are the principal aims of the Directive. ENPC members have been involved in improving product safety by participating on the “GPSD Committee” which is currently seeking to improve the traceability system by working with the Director General for Health and Consumers of the European Commission. Moreover, ENPC is a stakeholder of the Joint Actions set up by Prosafe and it is a liaison member of the European Standardisation Body.

Furthermore, member companies of the ENPC are committed to ensuring that childcare products are safe and compliant with the safety requirements and standards in place in Europe. However, a strong Market Surveillance system and controls by the public authorities are fundamental for ensuring that counterfeit and dangerous childcare products are not sold in the market. In a global market there is a need for a further cooperation and coordination between the national authorities. The General Safety Directive provides for an alert system (RAPEX system) to publicly notify of dangerous products and it establishes the circulation of information on measures taken by the Member States and economic operators. The rapid alert notification can also be exchanged with non-EU countries.