Commission Decision
of 21 March 2011
extending the validity of Decision 2006/502/EC requiring Member States to take measures to ensure that only lighters which are child-resistant are placed on the market and to prohibit the placing on the market of novelty lighters
(notified under document C(2011) 1754)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2011/176/EU)
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Directive 2001/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 December 2001 on general product safety(1), and in particular Article 13 thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Commission Decision 2006/502/EC(2) requires Member States to take measures to ensure that only lighters which are child-resistant are placed on the market and to prohibit the placing on the market of novelty lighters.
(2) Decision 2006/502/EC was adopted in accordance with the provisions of Article 13 of Directive 2001/95/EC, which restricts the validity of the Decision to a period not exceeding one year, but allows it to be confirmed for additional periods none of which shall exceed one year.
(3) Decision 2006/502/EC was amended four times, firstly by Commission Decision 2007/231/EC(3) which extended the validity of the Decision until 11 May 2008, secondly by Commission Decision 2008/322/EC(4) which extended the validity of the Decision until 11 May 2009, thirdly by Commission Decision 2009/298/EC(5) which extended the validity of the Decision until 11 May 2010 and fourthly by Commission Decision 2010/157/EU(6) which extended the validity of the Decision for a further year until 11 May 2011.
(4) In the absence of other satisfactory measures addressing the child safety of lighters, it is necessary to extend the validity of Decision 2006/502/EC for a further 12 months.
(5) Therefore, Decision 2006/502/EC should be amended it accordingly.
(6) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee established by Directive 2001/95/EC,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: