Article 12(1) of the GPSD and Article 22 of Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 require Member States to immediately notify the Commission through the RAPEX application of preventive and restrictive measures concerning products posing serious risks. This provision applies to both compulsory and voluntary measures, although the timing of the notification is different.
These measures are notified through the RAPEX application immediately after being adopted or after the decision to adopt them has been taken, even if an appeal against them at national level is likely, if they are already under appeal or they are subject to publication requirements.
This approach is consistent with the objective of RAPEX, i.e. to ensure the rapid exchange of information between Member States and the Commission in order to prevent the supply and use of products that pose a risk.
Under Article 5(3) of the GPSD and Article 22 of Regulation (EC) No 765/2008, economic operators are obliged to notify the competent Member State authorities of voluntary action and measures taken to prevent risks to consumers posed by products they have made available on the market (ideally by means of a ‘Business Gateway’ notification). The authority of a Member State receiving this kind of notification uses this information as the basis for a notification (if all the notification criteria are met) and sends it immediately after receipt of the ‘Business Gateway’ notification.
Where voluntary measures are adopted in the form of an agreement between an economic operator and an authority of a Member State or on the basis of a recommendation from an authority to a producer or distributor, a notification is submitted immediately after the conclusion of such an agreement or the adoption of such a recommendation.
To ensure common application of the notification obligation, Part III, Appendix 4 to these Guidelines lays down specific deadlines for submitting notifications to the Commission via the RAPEX application(1).
Member States notify the Commission of preventive and restrictive measures adopted as soon as possible and by the deadlines specified in Part III, Appendix 4 to these Guidelines at the latest. Appropriate arrangements are in place at national level concerning the transmission of information between national authorities in charge of product safety and the RAPEX Contact Point to ensure that the deadlines are met. (See Part II, Chapter 5.1).
The deadlines provided apply irrespective of any appeal procedure or official publication requirement.
All notifications concerning products posing a serious risk requiring emergency action are preceded by a telephone call from the RAPEX Contact Point to the Commission RAPEX Team's mobile telephone number to facilitate immediate action and follow-up. This rule applies in particular to notifications transmitted at weekends or during holiday periods. (See also Part II, Chapter 5.1).
For more information about deadlines, see Part III Appendix 4 of these Guidelines.
All deadlines mentioned in these Guidelines are expressed in calendar days.