ISSN:1896Ǧ382X|www.wnus.edu.pl/epu DOI:10.18276/epu.2018.131/2Ǧ26|strony:275–283
MarcinPigÏowski
AkademiaMorskawGdyni WydziaÏPrzedsi¸biorczoäciiTowaroznawstwa KatedraTowaroznawstwaiZarz¦dzaniaJakoäci¦ m.piglowski@wpit.am.gdynia.plProductsdangerousforconsumersimportedfromChina
inRAPEXnotifications
JEL codes: C38, F53, I10, K32, P46
Keywords: dangerous non-food products, European Union, China, RAPEX
Summary. The legal basis and principles of functioning of the Rapid Alert System for dangerous
non-food products (RAPEX) were presented. The research included the notifications submitted in the RAPEX system for products from China in the period 2005–2016. The dependences between product categories and year, level of risk, product user, submitting country, risk type and the entity taking measures were examined. The cluster analysis, scatterplots and pivot tables were applied. The most important problems were identified as well as the need for further cooperation between the European Commission and China.
Introduction
The legal basis for Rapid Alert System for dangerous non-food products (RAPEX) is General Product Safety Directive (2001/95/EC) (European Commission, 2017b, 2017c). Within the RAPEX 31 European countries, i.e. 28 European Union (EU) coun-tries (member states) and also Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway and European Com-mission can exchange information (through contact points) on dangerous non-food products posing a risk to health and safety of consumers. The national authorities can act quickly to keep consumers safe by recalling, withdrawing, stopping at the border or issuing warnings. The European Commission publishes weekly RAPEX reports (Euro-pean Commission, 2017b), see also Orford et al. (2014). The RAPEX does not apply to food, pharmaceuticals and medical devices (Orford et. al., 2014).
Zandén Kjellén (2009) pointed out that member states never communicate their notifications to each other directly within the RAPEX but through the European mission. The notification entered into the RAPEX is displayed to the European Com-mission and it validates the completeness and correctness of this notification and sees if there has been previous warning regarding the same product notified by other member state. The European Commission wishes to avoid duplication and publishes only one information for a product regardless of the number of notifications. After examining a information about notification it is published within three days at the latest.
However, as Herzmann (2015) noted, the European Commission completely relies on the member states’ risk assessment. Furthermore, in contrast to similar the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), where anonymous notifications are made, in case of the RAPEX products can be easily identified (based on brand, name, number of model or batch number/bar code and picture). Therefore, Miehe et al. (2015) even stated that company finding its product in the RAPEX will suffer from substantial monetary losses and reputation damage. For governments the RAPEX is, however, the tool to force companies to make efforts to ensure compliance.
The number of the RAPEX notifications to products from China is about or above 50% of all notifications each year, however, it decreased last years (European Commis-sion, 2017c), see also Zandén Kjellén (2009). A large number of notifications on prod-ucts from China has also been noticed by Klaschka (2017), Tse and Tan (2012) and Wang et al. (2012). The categories, which were most often notified in the last years were: toys, clothing, textiles and fashion items and electrical appliances and equipment (European Commission, 2017c). Importantly, as much as 85% of all toys on the Euro-pean market come from China (EuroEuro-pean Commission, 2017a).
Already in 2006 the Directorate General for Health and Consumers (DG SANCO) of the European Union and the Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine from People’s Republic of China (AQSIQ) have signed Memorandum of Understanding. It aimed to establish a framework for better communication and collabora-tion within general product safety to support Chinese authorities to ensure product safety. The DG SANCO started providing the AQSIQ with information on consumer products from China that have been identified as dangerous within so-called RAPEX-China sys-tem. Thanks to this system the AQSIQ can adopt appropriate measures which prevent or restrict export of dangerous products to the EU (European Commission, 2017a), see also Zandén Kjellén (2009).
Therefore, the goal of the study was to examine the dependences of the product categories and year, risk level, product user, submitting country, risk type and entity taking measures within RAPEX notifications.
1.Dataandmethods
The data originated from the RAPEX database and concerned period from 2005 (from this year data was accessible) to 2016. It was ordered in Excel and then trans-ferred to Statistica 12. The data concerned 11116 notifications, including 14 notifica-tions on products from China and other country (e.g. India, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam). The data table consisted of seven variables: product category (in database – category), year, risk level, product user, submitting country (alert submitted by), risk type and entity taking measures (measures adopted by notifying country).
It was necessary to adopt some simplifications for statistical calculations. In case of risk type only first risk among mentioned was adopted. In case of variable entity taking measures there were only two values adopted (it was the type of entity that has taken the action). In order to appropriate presentation in figures some values of variable product category were shortened to: „childcare articles…” (name in database: childcare articles and children’s equipment), “clothing, textiles …” (clothing, textiles and fashion items), “communication… equipment” (communication and media equipment), “elec-trical appliances…” (elec“elec-trical appliances and equipment), “gas appliances…” (gas appliances and components), “kitchen… accessories” (kitchen/cooking accessories). There was also shortened risk type “elec… disturbance” (electromagnetic disturbance).
In order to find the dependences between variable product category and other variables (year, risk level, product user, submitting country, risk type and entity taking measures) bubble scatterplots were used. There were also pivot tables used (not present-ed).
2.Resultsanddiscussion
The dependences between product category and other variables were presented in subsequent figures: year (Fig. 1), risk level (Fig. 2), product user (Fig. 3), submitting country (Fig. 4), risk type (Fig. 5) and entity taking measures (Fig. 6).
The largest number of RAPEX notifications on products from China related to toys (38% of cases), clothing, textiles and fashion items (18%), electrical appliances and equipment (13%) and also lighting equipment (5%), lighting chains (3%) and childcare articles and children’s equipment (3%). The number of notifications increased in 2005-2010, in 2011 decreased, then increased again to 2014 and decreased in 2015 and 2016 (variable year in Fig. 1). The risk level was indicated as serious (variable risk level in Fig. 2) in 98% of cases. The notified products were intended mainly for consumers (variable product user in Fig. 3).
to y s dec o ra ti ve ar ti c les elect ri c al a p pl ianc es… ch ild c ar e ar ti c les … fu rn it u re m ot o r v e hic les cl o thing, te xt iles … h ob b y /s p o rt s equip m e n t laser point ers co sm et ic s lig h ti n g eq u ipm e n t food -imit a ting pro d uc ts ki tch e n .. . a cce sso ri e s gadget s ma ch in er y li gh ter s c h e m ic al pr oduc ts pr ot ect ive eq u ipm ent lig h ti n g c hai n s st at ioner y ot h er c o m m u n ica ti on ... e q u ip m e n t p yr o te ch n ic a rt icl e s g a s a ppli an ces … c onst ruct ion pro d uc ts jew eller y hand too ls rec re at ional c ra ft s p re s s u re e q uipm en t/ ves s e ls m e a s uring inst ru m ent s product category y2005 y2007 y2006 y2010 y2009 y2008 y2013 y2012 y2011 y2014 y2015 y2016 yea r
Figure 1. The dependence between product category and year Source: own study based on calculations in Statistica 12.
to y s d e c o ra ti v e ar tic le s elec tr ica l ap p lianc e s … ch ild c a re a rt icl e s… fu rn itu re m o to r ve h icles c lot h in g , t e x til es … hobby /s p or ts equip m ent la se r p o int er s co sme tics light in g e quip m en t fo o d -i m ita ti ng p ro d u c ts k it c h e n ... a c ce ss o ri e s gadg et s mac h iner y light er s c h em ic a l pr od u c ts pr ot ec ti v e e quipm en t li gh ti ng ch ai ns s tat ioner y ot her co mm unic at io n .. . equip m e n t py ro te ch n ic ar tic le s g a s applianc e s … c o n s tr u c ti on p ro d u c ts jewe ller y h a nd t ools re cr e a tional c raf ts pr es s u re equipm e n t/v es s els mea s ur ing ins tr um ent s product category serious risk
other risk level
ri sk l e ve l
Figure 2. The dependence between product category and risk level Source: own study based on calculations in Statistica 12.
to y s dec or ati v e ar ti c les elect ri c al a p pl ianc es… ch ild c ar e ar ti c les … fu rn it u re mo to r v e h icl e s cl o thing, te xt iles … h ob b y /s p o rt s equip m e n t laser point ers co sm et ic s lig h ti n g eq u ipm e n t fo o d -i m ita ti n g p rod u c ts ki tch e n .. . a cce sso ri e s gadget s ma ch in er y li gh ter s c h e m ic al pr oduc ts pr ot ect ive eq u ipm ent lig h ti n g c hai n s st at ioner y ot h er c o m m u n ica ti on ... e q u ip m e n t py rot e c hnic a rtic les ga s ap p lia n c e s … c onst ruct ion pro d uc ts jew e ller y hand too ls rec re at ional c ra ft s p re s s u re e q uipm en t/ ves s e ls m e a s uring inst ru m ent s product category consumer professional pr od uc t us er
Figure 3. The dependence between product category and product user Source: own study based on calculations in Statistica 12.
to y s d e c o ra ti v e ar tic le s elec tr ica l ap p lianc e s … ch ild c a re a rt icl e s… fu rn itu re m o to r ve h icles c lot h in g , t e x til es … hobby /s p or ts equip m ent la se r p o int er s co sme tics light in g e quip m en t fo o d -i m ita ti ng p ro d u c ts k it c h e n ... a c ce ss o ri e s gadg et s mac h iner y light er s c h em ic a l pr od u c ts pr ot ec ti v e e quipm en t li gh ti ng ch ai ns s tat ioner y ot her co mm unic at io n .. . equip m e n t p y ro te c h n ic a rti c les g a s applianc e s … c o n s tr u c ti o n pr od uc ts jewe ller y h a n d to o ls re cr e a tional c raf ts pr es s u re equipm e n t/ v es s els mea s ur ing ins tr um ent s product category GreeceFinland PortugalEstonia Czech RepublicFrance Germany United Kingdom RomaniaSpain HungaryItaly The NetherlandsSlovakia NorwayPoland BulgariaAustria SloveniaIreland Latvia Lithuania DenmarkCyprus Belgium SwedenMalta LuxembourgCroatia Iceland Liechtenstein s ubm it ti n g cou n tr y
Figure 4. The dependence between product category and submitting country Source: own study based on calculations in Statistica 12.
to ys d e cor a tive a rt ic les elec tr ica l applia n c es … c h ildc ar e a rt ic le s … fu rn it u re m o to r vehic les clot h ing, t ex ti les … hobb y /s por ts e qu ipm e n t la se r p o in te rs co sm eti c s light in g equip m e nt fo o d -i m ita ti ng p ro d u c ts k itc h e n ... a c c e s s o ri e s ga dg e ts ma ch in e ry light e rs chem ic al p rod u c ts pr ot e c ti v e equipm e nt li gh ti n g ch ai ns sta tio ne ry ot he r c om m u n ic a ti o n ... e q u ip me n t py ro te ch n ic ar ti c le s g a s appl ia n c es … c ons tr u c ti o n pr od uc ts jewe lle ry h a n d to o ls re cr ea tional c ra ft s pr es s u re equipmen t/ v e s s e ls meas ur ing i n s tr u me n ts product category suffocation fire burns electric shock injuries chemical damage to sight choking cuts drowning health risk / other damage to hearing strangulation microbiological asphyxiation entrapment elec... disturbance environment other ri sk t y pe
Figure 5. The dependence between product category and risk type Source: own study based on calculations in Statistica 12.
to y s d e c o ra ti v e ar tic le s elec tr ica l ap p lianc e s … ch ild c a re a rt icl e s… fu rn itu re m o to r ve h icles c lot h in g , t e x til es … hobby /s p or ts equip m ent la se r p o int er s co sme tics light in g e quip m en t fo o d -i m ita ti ng p ro d u c ts k it c h e n ... a c ce ss o ri e s gadg et s mac h iner y light er s c h em ic a l pr od u c ts pr ot ec ti v e e quipm en t li gh ti ng ch ai ns s tat ioner y ot her co mm unic at io n .. . equip m e n t p y ro te c h n ic a rti c les g a s applianc e s … c o n s tr u c ti o n pr od uc ts jewe ller y h a n d to o ls re cr e a tional c raf ts pr es s u re equipm e n t/ v es s els mea s ur ing ins tr um ent s product category public authorities economic operators e n ti ty ta ki ng m e a s u re s
Figure 6. The dependence between product category and entity taking measures Source: own study based on calculations in Statistica 12.
The products were notified mainly by Spain (13% of cases) and Hungary (12%), but also: United Kingdom (7%), Germany (7%), Cyprus (7%), France (6%) and Bulgar-ia (6%). Toys were notified mainly by Spain and other Western EU countries and cloth-ing, textiles and fashion items by Hungary, Cyprus and Bulgaria (variable submitting country in Fig. 4). Thus, it can be assumed that the number of notifications did not de-pend only on the volume of imports from China (large EU countries), but it could also depend on varied quality of imported products or on the activity of control bodies (smaller EU countries). Anyway, there was no correlation between import of consumer gods / durable by EU countries from China (in 100 kg) according to the Broad Econom-ic Categories (BEC) classifEconom-ication and notifEconom-ications number in the RAPEX in period 2005–2016. The value of calculated (test) statistics t was 2.05 and it didn’t exceed the value of critical statistics (2.06).
The risk type, which was mainly notified, was: chemical (24% of cases), electric shock (19%), choking (18%), injuries (15%), but also: burns (5%) and strangulation (6%). Chemical and choking risks were notified in toys, electric shock in electrical appliances and equipment and injuries and strangulation in clothing, textiles and fashion items (variable risk type in Fig. 5). The measures on notified products were taken main-ly by public authorities (67% of cases), however, economic operator was taken actions in 33% of cases (see also variable entity taking measures in Fig. 6).
Klaschka (2017) drew attention to chemical risks, which were notified in the RAPEX in toys, clothing and electric appliances, indirectly pointing to the Chinese origin of these products. Wynn et al. (2011) indicated lead paint in toys originated from China and notified in the RAPEX in 2007.
It is worth noting that some of these products are subject to specific legal require-ments related to product safety, i.e. toys according to the directive 2009/48/EC (Europe-an Parliament (Europe-and Council, 2009) (Europe-and electrical appli(Europe-ances according to the directive 2014/35/EU (European Parliament and Council, 2014) and require CE marking. There-fore, further cooperation between the European Commission and China within RAPEX-China is very important to reduce or eliminate dangerous products originating from this country. One might also consider the legal solutions, which aim would be to impose financial penalties on manufactures, importers or distributors of dangerous products or to introduce import ban of these products from which hazards would not be eliminated.
Conclusions
The number of notifications to products from China is about or above 50 % of all notifications each year. These notifications related to toys (above one third), clothing, textiles and fashion items and electrical appliances and equipment, but also lighting equipment, lighting chains and childcare articles and children’s equipment.
The number of notifications decreased in 2015 and 2016. The risk level was indi-cated as serious and product user was consumer. The products were notified mainly by
Spain and Hungary, but also by United Kingdom, Germany, Cyprus, France and Bul-garia. The notified risk type was: chemical, electric shock, choking, injuries, but also burns and strangulation. The measures on notified products were taken usually by pub-lic authorities.
There is a need for further cooperation between the European Commission and China within the RAPEX and introducing of legal solutions (financial penalties, import ban) to reduce or eliminate dangerous products originating from this country.
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PRODUKTY NIEBEZPIECZNE DLA KONSUMENTA IMPORTOWANE Z CHIN W NOTYFIKACJACH RAPEX
Sáowa kluczowe: niebezpieczne produkty nieĪywnoĞciowe, Unia Europejska, Chiny, RAPEX Streszczenie. Zaprezentowano podstawy prawne i zasady funkcjonowania Systemu Szybkiego
Powiadamiania o niebezpiecznych produktach nieĪywnoĞciowych (RAPEX). Badania obejmowa-áy notyfikacje zgáaszane w systemie RAPEX wobec produktów z Chin w okresie 2005–2016. Zbadano zaleĪnoĞci pomiĊdzy kategoriami produktu a rokiem, poziomem ryzyka, uĪytkownikiem produktu, krajem zgáaszającym, rodzajem ryzyka i podmiotem podejmującym Ğrodki. Zastosowa-no analizĊ skupieĔ, wykresy rozrzutu i tabele przestawne. WskazaZastosowa-no najbardziej istotne proble-my, a takĪe potrzebĊ dalszej wspóápracy miĊdzy Komisją Europejską i Chinami.
Táumaczenie Marcin Pigáowski
Cytowanie
Pigáowski, M. (2018). Products dangerous for consumers imported from China in RAPEX notifi-cations. Ekonomiczne Problemy Usáug, 2 (131/2), 275–283. DOI: 10.18276/epu.2018.131/2-26.
