Commission Decision of 27 July 2011 on the safety requirements to be met by European standards to address certain risks posed to children by internal blinds, corded window coverings and safety devices pursuant to Directive 2001/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (Text with EEA relevance) (2011/477/EU)

Article 1 U.K.

For the purposes of this Decision the following definitions shall apply:

(a)

‘internal blinds’ shall mean a window covering product fitted anywhere within the internal surface of the building;

(b)

‘corded window coverings’ shall mean a product used to cover a window, other than an internal blind, which features exposed cords. Window coverings can be placed outside the window, or inside two window panels, or in front of a window;

(c)

‘hazardous loop’ shall mean a loop of exposed cord, chain or similar, combined or not with fabric, and that would fit over the head or around the neck of a young child creating a strangulation hazard;

(d)

‘safety devices’ shall mean a device or a design that protects a young child from the risk of strangulation by, for example, preventing the forming of a hazardous loop in the cord or chain, breaking the hazardous loop, releasing a cord or a chain when a hazardous loop is formed or when the cord or a chain is subject to a load, making the cord or chain inaccessible to children, preventing the cords getting entangled;

(e)

‘accessible cord(s), chain(s), ball-chain(s) or similar’ shall mean cord(s), chain(s), ball-chain(s) or similar that are exposed from the front, back or side of the blind or window covering, and can be reached and pulled by a young child, creating a strangulation hazard. Height is not considered as a restriction to accessibility.

Article 2 U.K.

The safety requirements for internal blinds, corded window coverings and safety devices to be met by European standards pursuant to Article 4 of Directive 2001/95/EC are set out in the Annex to this Decision.

Article 3 U.K.

This Decision shall enter into force on the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at Brussels, 27 July 2011.

For the Commission

The President

José Manuel Barroso