Before buying and using a product, find out about its safety characteristics. We assist you in this process: with up-to-the-minute news about unsafe products, with statistical insights, and with appropriate points of contact.
Trust in economic operators and in the domestic market can be maintained only if it is clear that products destined for sale are safe and not harmful to health. Taking suitable measures to strengthen this trust is one of the important tasks facing the European Union (EU), all Member States and the market surveillance authorities of the German Federal States and Federal Government. The aim is to guarantee the highest possible level of protection for all citizens of the EU.
Today, the EU already enjoys a relatively high level of product safety. This is thanks in equal part to the numerous legislative provisions for various product groups and to the work of the market surveillance authorities. The latter ensure that all involved parties play by the rules of the game within the domestic market. One such rule is that the corresponding economic operators must provide not only authorities, but also commercial customers and consumers, with timely and comprehensive information about unsafe and potentially dangerous products.
To this end, all EU Member States are required to create corresponding infrastructure to ensure the rapid, secure and reliable flow of information. Against this backdrop, a corresponding information system performs various roles and tasks within the context of product safety and is accessible to the full range of stakeholders.
In the system, the economic operators (manufacturers, authorised representatives, importers, distributors) are legally required to inform the authorities of safety deficiencies in their products. If there is certainty or evidence to suggest that a product could pose a risk to the health and safety of third parties, manufacturers are required to issue product recalls and product warnings. In addition, the market surveillance authorities can order product recalls or withdrawals of products. They can also prohibit products from being made available on the market if they pose a serious risk and rapid intervention is necessary.
In addition, if you contact us, we will be happy to put you in touch with the competent authority.
On the following pages, we also provide current notifications regarding dangerous products, as well as information on product safety.
The Product Safety Commission is founded on section 33 of the Product Safety Act (ProdSG) and advises the Federal Government on product safety issues. It is employed by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.
The Commission includes experts from the market surveillance authorities, the conformity assessment bodies, the statutory accident insurers, the German Institute for Standardisation (DIN), the Commission for Occupational Health and Safety and Standardisation (KAN), employers' associations, trade unions and related associations, in particular those of the manufacturers, distributors and consumers. The activities of the commission are managed by the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA).
According to the German Product Safety Act (ProdSG), BAuA performs a number of tasks within the framework of internal market law and product safety. It is an important interface between the market surveillance authorities of the federal states, the Federal Government and in Europe.
As a national RAPEX contact point, BAuA ensures the exchange of information between the market surveillance authorities, the European Commission and the Member States. It ensures the national processes and the legal implementation of the RAPEX procedure as part of its quality assurance measures.
In addition, BAuA offers the general public a comprehensive information service. It announces official announcements and announcements from the economic operators, e.g. via product recalls. To this end, it operates a central product safety portal.
In the context of its general research mission, BAuA pre-emptively determines and assesses safety risks and health risks associated with the use of products. In individual cases, it carries out risk assessments of products in consultation with the market surveillance authorities.
BAuA conducts the business of the Product Safety Commission (AfPS), which advises the Federal Government on product safety issues.
In addition to standards, BAuA promulgates standards and technical specifications, which the AfPS has determined. It publishes GS bodies and approved inspection bodies according to ProdSG and BetrSichV.