Brussels, BELGIUM — The European Commission today published its General Product Safety Regulation proposal. This long-awaited initiative will update the existing Directive to respond to new challenges related to digital technologies and online sales, while ensuring coherence with other Commission initiatives, in particular with the proposal for a Digital Services Act and the newly proposed Artificial Intelligence framework. The proposal empowers national authorities to order online marketplaces to remove access to dangerous products within two working days. Sellers will also have to list certain information on the marketplace website. Penalties should be “at least 4 %” of the company’s annual turnover in the EU country, according to the proposal.
The Computer & Communications Industry Association is fully committed to working with the European institutions to ensure consumers’ safety when buying products offline and online, and safety risks linked to products incorporating new technologies.
The following can be attributed to CCIA Europe Senior Public Policy Manager Alex Maglione:
“CCIA member companies continuously invest in human resources and technology to keep their services safe and trustworthy.”
“We welcome the review of the EU’s product safety rules and look forward to working with lawmakers to ensure the legislation meets its stated goals. Any new obligations on online marketplaces should be proportionate and not create barriers to the digitisation of Europe’s economy.”
“The General Product Safety Regulation is the appropriate EU legal instrument to address concerns surrounding the sales of goods through online marketplaces. The Digital Services Act should remain a cross-sectoral proposal and not overlap or duplicate the sector-specific General Product Safety Directive.”