Product safety
The European Commission has developed a guideline for performing controls of goods related to product safety.
The controls focus on product requirements that ensure a high level of protection of public interests, for example:
- health and safety in general
- health and safety at the workplace
- protection of consumers
- protection of the environment
- security
One of the tasks of Customs is to identify irregularities. If Customs suspects any irregularities, we will notify the organisation conducting the supervision of the product requirements.
In the Netherlands, the (physical) supervision of the product requirements is conducted by:
- the Radio Communications Agency (Agentschap Telecom or AT)
- the Living Environment and Transport Inspectorate (Inspectie voor de Leefomgeving en Transport or ILT)
- the Social Affairs and Employment Inspectorate (Inspectie Sociale Zaken en Werkgelegenheid or SZW Inspectorate)
- the Healthcare Inspectorate (Inspectie voor de Gezondheidszorg or IGZ)
- the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (Nederlandse Voedsel- en Warenautoriteit or NVWA)
- the Government Road Transport Agency (Rijksdienst voor het Wegverkeer or RDW)
- Verispec
In other Member States of the European Union, the customs authorities of this other Member State may perform the controls. However, the controls may also be performed by other designated organisations in this Member State.
The European Union (EU) has provided for Product Safety in Regulation (EC) No. 765/2008.