‘Made in China’ tops EU list of unsafe products

Published March 24, 2015
A watchdog said it had issued 2,435 notifications of unsafe products, with most coming from China. -Reuters/File
A watchdog said it had issued 2,435 notifications of unsafe products, with most coming from China. -Reuters/File

BRUSSELS: From toy-shaped cigarette lighters to a short-circuting plush rabbit that catches fire, a European safety watchdog warned on Monday of a growing number of dangerous products for sale, with most coming from China.

The watchdog said it had issued 2,435 notifications of unsafe products ranging from children’s playthings to clothing and appliances in 2014, which was three per cent more than in 2013.

Around 64pc of the dangerous goods were made in China, including Hong Kong, the same figure as 2013, said the Rapid Alert System (RAPEX), which includes the 28 EU states as well as Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

“For me, as a mother and already a grandmother, the high number of harmful products among toys is alarming, so please beware of what you give your children to play with,” said Vera Jourova, the European commissioner for consumer affairs.

“It was also surprising how high a number of harmful products comes to the European market from China,” she told a press conference in Brussels.

Toys topped the list of products stopped before they entered European markets or were seized afterwards, at 28pc, followed by clothing (23pc), electrical appliances (9pc) and motor vehicles (8pc).

Published in Dawn March 24th , 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

Follow Dawn Business on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for insights on business, finance and tech from Pakistan and across the world.

Opinion

Editorial

Short-changed?
Updated 24 Nov, 2024

Short-changed?

As nations continue to argue, the international community must recognise that climate finance is not merely about numbers.
Overblown ‘threat’
24 Nov, 2024

Overblown ‘threat’

ON the eve of the PTI’s ‘do or die’ protest in the federal capital, there seemed to be little evidence of the...
Exclusive politics
24 Nov, 2024

Exclusive politics

THERE has been a gradual erasure of the voices of most marginalised groups from Pakistan’s mainstream political...
Counterterrorism plan
Updated 23 Nov, 2024

Counterterrorism plan

Lacunae in our counterterrorism efforts need to be plugged quickly.
Bullish stock market
23 Nov, 2024

Bullish stock market

NORMALLY, stock markets rise gradually. In recent months, however, Pakistan’s stock market has soared to one ...
Political misstep
Updated 23 Nov, 2024

Political misstep

To drag a critical ally like Saudi Arabia into unfounded conspiracies is detrimental to Pakistan’s foreign policy.