Enhancing Market Surveillance
through Best Practice II
Objective
The overall objective of the new project is to further enhance the market surveillance of non-food consumer products in Europe. This is to be achieved through the practical application of the best practice developed under the current EMARS project and the development of additional best practices. The project also seeks to further capitalise on the improved climate for collaboration amongst national market surveillance authorities that the current EMARS project has contributed to. EMARS II will provide a framework for closer collaboration within which future joint actions and coordinated activities on specific products and other market surveillance related issues can be identified.
The specific goals of this new project would include
• Developing a more rigorous and systematic approach to the identification and execution of joint actions
• Promoting a more consistent approach to market surveillance through the development of best practice and a training programme for market surveillance officials in the field of consumer product safety
• Ensuring adequate liaison between market surveillance authorities and standards development
• Improving collaboration with Customs officials through networking opportunities and the identification of best practice
• Improving operational level collaboration with relevant enforcement authorities outside the EEA
Description
The project seeks to continue and further develop the activities begun under the project Enhancing Market Surveillance through Best Practice, EMARS. The current EMARS project is scheduled to run until the end of 2008. In particular the project seeks to further strengthen the practical cooperation and coordination that has resulted at the operational level from EMARS.
A modular approach is foreseen whereby all member states participating in the project would commit to a core set of tasks aimed at further promoting coordination and cooperation in relation to market surveillance activities. This would primarily be through the exchange of information at regular coordination meetings, participation in the information systems established under EMARS such as the Knowledge Base and the Rapid Advice Forum. Participating member states would also commit to supply information on their market surveillance activities on at least a yearly basis.
Further tasks are grouped around other specific themes that have the potential to improve coordination and cooperation on market surveillance activities. Member states have been free to choose themselves how many of these initiatives they will play an active role in. At the same time all member states in the project will have access to the results of the work carried out under these themes through the information systems operated as part of the core coordination tasks. The following themes have been identified
A. Best Practice
B. Management and Planning of Future Joint Actions and Coordinated Market Surveillance Activities
C. Risk Assessment
D. Market surveillance guidance material for external stakeholders
E. Training
F. Continuous improvement of national market surveillance programmes
G. Standards related activities
H. Liaison with Notified Bodies
These activities and the core coordination tasks are described in greater detail here.
Organisation of the project
EMARS
II is being carried out by members of Prosafe, the product safety enforcement
forum of
Rue Joseph II 12-16
1000
Fax: +32-2 286 1750
Follow this link for directions to the office