ANNEX

GUIDELINES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION RAPID INFORMATION SYSTEM ‘RAPEX’ ESTABLISHED UNDER ARTICLE 12 OF DIRECTIVE 2001/95/EC (THE GENERAL PRODUCT SAFETY DIRECTIVE) AND ITS NOTIFICATION SYSTEM

PART IIEU RAPID INFORMATION SYSTEM ‘RAPEX’ ESTABLISHED UNDER ARTICLE 12 OF THE GENERAL PRODUCT SAFETY DIRECTIVE

5.RAPEX networks

5.3.RAPEX internal communication tools, practical and technical arrangements for RAPEX and best practice

5.3.2.RAPEX online tools

(b)‘Product Safety Business Alert Gateway’

The ‘Product Safety Business Alert Gateway’ (also known as the ‘Business Gateway’) is intended to simplify the practical aspects of the obligation on producers and distributors, or their authorised representative, under Article 5(3) of the GPSD to notify the competent national authorities of the Member States if they know or ought to know, on the basis of the information in their possession and as professionals, that a product they have placed on the market is dangerous.

The ‘Business Gateway’ consists of two elements: (i) the notification template and (ii) the online database. The notification template is reserved for use by producers and distributors to inform the competent national authorities of the Member States that a product they have placed on the market is dangerous, in line with their obligation under Article 5(3) of the GPSD. The online database is intended for use by Member States national authorities responsible for receiving notifications of dangerous consumer products submitted by producers and distributors. The competent national authority may use the information provided to submit a RAPEX notification if all criteria for this are met.