Slovak Trade Inspection

1. Slovak Trade Inspection Country preparation and expectation from new cooperation under Regulation on Market Surveillance The 5th workshop of theUNECE MARS Group 10 – 13 October 2007 – Bratislava

2. Scope of presentation • Competencies of Slovak Trade Inspection • Planning of controls • Overview of control actions in 2006 and 2007 • Brief overview of annual results • Main experience in last years (changes, problems, similarities and differences... • Co-operation • Information

3. Competencies of Slovak Trade Inspection • Act on State Control of Internal Market in the Consumer Protection Matters (the sphere of authority of STI, the rights and duties of the inspectors, the rights and duties of the inspected persons, powers - protective measures and fines) • Act on Technical Requirements for Products and On Conformity Assessment Procedures (the system of government ordinances – transposition of the New Approach Directives) • Act on Consumer Protection (transposition of the General Product Safety Directivein the form of Governmental Ordinance to the Act )

4. New ApproachDirectives • Machinery Directive • Low Voltage Directive • Electromagnetic compatibility • Toy Safety Directive • Pressure Equipment Directive • Personal ProtectiveEquipment Directive • Recreational Craft • Radio equipment and telecommunications terminal equipment • Appliances Burning Gaseous Fuels • Refrigeration appliances • Noise Emission • Construction products

5. Other Acts regarding protection of consumer’s economic interests ... Acts on • Prices • Protection of Non-smokers • Conditions for the Marketing of Products and the Provision of Services in Market Places • Consumer Protection at Door-to-Door Sale and Home-Delivery Sale • Emergency Reserves of Oil and Oil Products and on Resolution of Oil Crisis • Advertising • Financial services • Consumer Credit

6. Other Acts regarding protection of consumer’s economic interests ... • Conducted Tours, Conditions for the Enterprise of Travel Offices and Agencies • E-commerce • Waste • Packing • Building Products • Chemical Substances and Preparation • Conditions for the Launch of Biocide Products onto the Market • Protection of some TV and Radio broadcasting services • Passenger rights in air transport

7. Planning of control based on • complaints of consumers and economic operators • announcements of other administration bodies • new legal norms • experience from previous controls • experience from appeal procedures • follow-up of the measures • notifications from RAPEX system • risk assessment

8. Overview of control actions in 2006 • Pressure cookers [common action within EU] • Toys, household electric appliances, textile goods for children, baby carriages, child car seats [cross-border cooperation with Hungary and the Czech Republic] • Playground equipment, novelty lighters, motor chainsaw, mini-motorbikes, thermo-insulation materials [action based on the RAPEX findings] • Sunglasses, textile and leather goods, crash helmets [proactive action]

9. Overview of control actions in 2007 • Extension leads (LVD), control ofelectricproducts subject to EMC, novelty lighters [common action within EU] • Toys (content of phthalates), children’s bicycles, writing materials like pens, pencils, crayons, markers, tempera… [cross-border cooperation with Hungary and the Czech Republic] • Textile goods for children, recreational craft, electric fans, shoes sold at market places, toys withcolorful surface [proactive action]

10. RAPEX system

11. Dangerous products

12. CE marking Despite of the fact that more than 70% of dangerous products in harmonized area were labeled with CE mark we support retaining the mark on condition that its justified use will be systematically monitored by market surveillance authorities.

13. Main experiencewithin control activity • there have been no dramatic changes in market surveillance principles • market surveillance performance has become more difficult: • variety of commodities with identified risk has been increasing together withreasons of unsafe • CE mark loses its credibility • high number of notifications from RAPEX requires higher capacity • problems with translation of materials • duty to complete investigation process before posting information to RAPEXmakes system less dynamic • economic operators take voluntary measures • gradual transition of controls from harmonized to non-harmonized area • general problems with products imported from third countries • general problems with safety of toys and electric appliances

14. Co-operation with • other relevant market surveillance bodieswithin national and common market • customs authorities • university and forensic experts • notified and authorized bodies • consumerassociations • police authorities

15. Administrative cooperation

16. Cooperation with Customs Authorities • January 2001 Convention on cooperation • November 2004 reviewed Convention (according to Regulation 339/93) • August 2006 reviewed Convention (according to Decision 2006/498 – lighters • 2007 regularly meetings, seminars and trainings

17. Information and education via media, Internet, annual reports... On web site www.soi.sk • overview of the dangerous products which were found on our market • overview of all notifications on the internal market • important warnings sent by manufacturers in case they launched a product which might pose a risk to consumers

18. Thank you For further information, pleasecontact: Nadezda Machutova General Director Slovak Trade Inspection Prievozská 32 827 99 Bratislava 27 Slovak Republic Tel: 00421/02/5827 2103; Fax:00421/02/5341 4996 Web-site: www.soi.sk e-mail: machutova@soi.sk