Justiceand Consumers

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Manuscript completed in September 2019

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Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2019

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PDF DS-04-19-551-EN-N ISBN: 978-92-76-09697-9 doi:10.2838/96653

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Consumers deserve to find only safe products on the market. That is why the EU has some of the strictest product safety legislation in the world.

The EU Product Safety Award is a distinction to those businesses that go above and beyond the requirements set down in law. It’s for businesses that are innovating and investing to deliver safer products and services to their customers.

The inaugural edition of the Award shines a light on both small and large companies that have put children’s safety at the heart of what they do. I would like to congratulate all the winners. You are setting an example that will inspire others and raise the bar for consumer protection across Europe.

I call on all companies to make consumer protection their top priority, so that our children, families, and friends are safe. There is no better investment than trust from your consumers.

FOREWORD FROM THE COMMISSIONER

Vĕra JourováEuropean Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD FROM THE COMMISSIONER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

THE AWARD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

THE JURY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

THE WINNERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

SMEs

Remmy (Italy) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Evomove (Denmark) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Reer (Germany) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Mippaa (Netherlands) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Large companies

Reima (Finland) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Cybex (Germany) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Mega Disposables (Greece) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

MAM Baby (Austria) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

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THE AWARD

About the AwardLaunched in February 2019, the EU Product Safety Award honours businesses that put safety at the heart of what they do, going beyond the minimum requirements enshrined in EU law.

The Award shines a light on companies that do their utmost to protect their customers, setting an example that can inspire others.

For this first edition, businesses, both big and small, that excel in the safety of childcare products are being recognised.

Why an Award for product safety?There are many excellent examples of EU companies going the “extra mile” to protect consumers. By showcasing these best practices, the European Commission wants to inspire other businesses to do the same, raising the level of product safety across the EU.

At the same time, the Award is meant to make consumers more aware of their right to find only safe products on the market. Empowering consumers is also the aim of the EU’s brand-new #YOUREURIGHT campaign.

What’s in it for the winners?While the Award is non-monetary, it will give companies widespread recognition, a boost to their reputation and a chance to position themselves as industry leaders in product safety.

The winners will receive their awards from the European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, Věra Jourová in a gala ceremony in Brussels. They will also be able to use the Award logo to promote their best practices.

There are separate awards for SMEs and bigger companies so that no-one is left out.

Why focus on the safety of childcare products?Young children are a particularly vulnerable group when it comes to product safety. They are often unaware of the potential dangers, which can lead to accidents and injuries.

Childcare products – such as baby cots, carriers or soother holders – are still among the most commonly notified products in the EU Rapid Alert System for dangerous non-food products.

How does it work?The first edition of the Award was open to companies from the 31 countries in the European Economic Area (28 EU Member States plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway).

Companies had almost two months to apply online. All Award information and application forms were available in 22 EU languages to enable everyone to participate.

Entries received from 16 Member States were evaluated in three phases. Following a first screening by national market surveillance authorities, a high-level jury selected the finalists, who were then scrutinised against internationally recognised corporate social responsibility (CSR) criteria.

The winners were selected on the basis of four main criteria: innovation, impact, replication potential and company product safety processes.

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THE JURY

Bogomil Nikolov

Member of the European Economic and Social Committee and Director of the Bulgarian Active Consumers Association

“Companies’ efforts to ensure high levels of safety always pay off. This is an investment in consumer trust, which paves the way to consumers’ hearts.”

Tania Vandenberghe

Senior Programme Manager, Child Safety and Domestic Appliances, ANEC, the European consumer voice in standardisation

“As vulnerable consumers, children are often unaware of the dangers they face and therefore require a particularly high level of protection. We applaud industry going beyond the requirements of European legislation. The EU’s Product Safety Award recognises these efforts that enhance children’s safety by reducing the number of accidents in which they are involved.”

Kristi Talving

Deputy Secretary‑General for Internal Market, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, Estonia

“Product safety offers pioneering companies a great opportunity to stand out, to make a difference, and to appreciate their customers. This Award shows the EU at its best in promoting companies’ core values.”

Monique Goyens

Director General of BEUC, the European Consumer Organisation

“While we are living in a more and more sophisticated and complex world, it is crucial not to forget the basics: Consumers need to be safe, day-in and day-out, when using consumer products. Innovative companies can help improve consumer safety and push the whole market towards greater consumer protection. This is why we welcome the EU Product Safety Award.”

Marie‑Paule Benassi

Acting Director for Consumers, Directorate‑General for Justice and Consumers, European Commission

“The European Commission supports proactive measures from industry that go the extra mile to protect consumers. These winning practices set an excellent example that should inspire others. Our ultimate goal is for all companies to place consumers at the heart of what they do.”

The EU Product Safety Award jury included representatives from both national and European consumer organisations as well as key government figures.

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THE WINNERS

SMEs

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THE WINNERS Category SMEs

Gold AwardRemmy (Italy)Car Baby Alert – a pioneering anti-abandon device that can save livesEach year, several infants die as a result of being left in overheated cars.

To prevent this from happening, Italian company Remmy developed in

2013 the world’s first car baby alert. This simple yet effective device

alerts the driver that the child is on board once the car has been turned

off or in the event that the seat belt has been incorrectly fastened.

The product is partly assembled in a local social cooperative which

supports the inclusion of marginalised and disadvantaged groups.

The company engages both on- and offline with parents on how to travel

safely in the car with their children. It has also provided input to a new

Italian law that will oblige all Italian residents carrying a child up to

4 years of age to have an anti-abandon device.

‣ More information: http://www.remmy.it

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THE WINNERS Category SMEs

Silver AwardEvomove (Denmark)Nomi Highchair – making the world a safer place to sitHighchair accidents are very common among small children and are

usually caused by the chair tilting backwards. With this in mind,

the acclaimed Norwegian chair designer Peter Opsvik and the

Danish company Evomove launched their next generation highchair,

Nomi Highchair, which helps eliminate such mishaps thanks to a special

anti-tilt roller. Nomi is also designed with organic round shapes instead

of sharp angles and corners.

All of the Nomi components are regularly tested according to strict

standards. Evomove offers advice to its consumers online and has

developed handy assembling guides and videos. All retailers selling Nomi

are trained at least twice a year to ensure proper safety guidance to end

consumers.

‣ More information: http://evomove.com

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THE WINNERS Category SMEs

Bronze AwardReer (Germany)Safety devices – preventing accidents at homeFor close to 100 years, German company Reer has been inventing

a whole host of products with child safety in mind. Its stair gates,

doorstoppers and window locks offer a simple solution to a widespread

problem of child accidents at home.

Reer is also committed to educating consumers about potential child

safety hazards at home by offering advice to parents and producing

educational videos, guides and checklists. The company has

developed a virtual childproof house, which can be viewed online:

https://360.reer.de/en. Reer actively contributes to the development of

relevant European safety standards, helping to increase the safety of

children’s products throughout the industry.

Reer is a founding member of the Global Alliance for Child Safety

(GACS) and actively supports the Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft für mehr

Kindersicherheit .e.V. (BAG) as well as Keep Caps from Kids.

‣ More information: https://www.reer.de

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THE WINNERS Category SMEs

Special MentionMippaa (Netherlands)Mippaa Stair Trainer – helping children climb stairs safelyStairs are the leading cause of injury for small children. Dutch company

Mippaa’s first product is the Mippaa Stair Trainer. This innovative product

is a unique child railing to support small children when they are learning

to climb stairs and thus minimise the risk of falls. The Stair Trainer can be

attached to the existing handrail and therefore hangs at child level.

The handrail is narrow and suitable for children’s hands.

‣ More information: https://www.mippaa.com

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THE WINNERS LARGE

COMPANIES

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THE WINNERS Category Large companies

Gold AwardReima (Finland)Outdoor wear for kids – wearable safety all year roundFinnish company Reima, founded in 1944, manufactures and sells active

wear for children. Its products are designed specifically for children,

not just regular clothes in smaller sizes.

Reima has a unique understanding of materials and kids’ needs when

it comes to demanding environments and heavy use. The company’s

strict product and testing requirements clearly exceed those of the EU.

For example, all hoods on its outdoor clothing are detachable, and all

of its garments are free from perfluorinated carbon compounds (PFCs),

nanomaterials and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). But Reima goes beyond basic

product safety by designing clothes that offer extra protection to children.

Reflective mittens can be life-saving for children in the darker seasons,

while the UPF and anti-bite wear helps protect them in the summer.

Reima has also put in place extensive recall and customer

feedback procedures.

‣ More information: https://www.reima.com

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THE WINNERS Category Large companies

Silver AwardCybex (Germany)Priam Baby Stroller – combining safety and designWith the Priam, German company Cybex has a stroller that incorporates

several innovative safety features. These include visibility in the dark,

high sun protection, all-wheel suspension to minimise any jolts to the

baby’s neck and head as well as one-hand folding into a self-standing

position, which leaves the child safe, while being carried by mum or dad.

The company’s own safety standards clearly exceed those of the EU.

For example, the range of hazardous chemicals controlled has been

expanded from the mandatory 19 to more than 300. Likewise,

the products’ durability, strength and temperature tests go far beyond

the norm. The company’s world-class testing centre provides services

to companies across the industry. To be ready in the case of a possible

product safety risk, the company runs regular recall simulations.

‣ More information: https://cybex-online.com

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THE WINNERS Category Large companies

Bronze AwardMega Disposables (Greece)Babylino Sensitive nappies – kind to baby’s skinGreek company Mega Disposables S.A. is one of the largest

manufacturers of personal hygiene products in Europe. Its Babylino

Sensitive nappies were the first in Europe to successfully get the

Oeko-Tex® standard 100 certification. This is an internationally

recognised system of laboratory testing for more than 200 chemicals,

certifying that the products contain no traces of harmful substances.

The company maintains continuous communication with its customers

and responds to any consumer feedback within 24 hours.

Mega has installed high resolution inspection cameras on all its

production lines, controlling each single piece produced, ensuring

continuous quality control.

‣ More information: https://www.babylino.gr/en and

http://www.megadis.gr/en/

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THE WINNERS Category Large companies

Special MentionMAM Baby (Austria)Soothers and feeding equipment – setting and exceeding standardsMAM Baby is an Austrian company that develops, produces and sells

soothers and baby feeding equipment. The company has played

a leading role in developing relevant safety standards, raising the

level of safety throughout the industry. As early as the 1980s, MAM

started developing the soother standard for Austria, which has been

subsequently rolled out across Europe. At the same time, MAM’s internal

requirements and testing criteria go well beyond the norms.

The company has established its own research department and works

closely with medical experts and parents in the development of its

products. A robust traceability system provides all information on the

products for the past 10 years.

‣ More information: https://www.mambaby.com

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The EU’s Product Safety Award rewards businesses that go the extra mile to protect consumers. It’s for those who put safety at the heart of what they do, going beyond the minimum requirements laid down in EU law.

You can find more details about the EU Product Safety Award at

https://ec.europa.eu/product‑safety‑award

ISBN: 978‑92‑76‑09697‑9 doi:10.2838/96653

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