Technical consumer protection; implementation of product safety measures

The task of the trade supervisory authorities at the governments of Middle Franconia and Upper Bavaria is to ensure safe products in the area of technical consumer protection.

Product safety

In particular, this includes toys, personal protective equipment, appliances and products for home and leisure, sports equipment, machinery, gas appliances and much more.

Manufacturers, importers and distributors may only place safe products on the market. They are responsible for ensuring that their products are designed in such a way that users and third parties are protected from risks to life and health. This is a significant contribution to the preventive protection of consumers, employees and patients. The safety standard is based on EU regulations and EU directives as well as European standards that are decisive for the free movement of goods in the internal market.

Cross-border cooperation

Since the introduction of the European Single Market in 1993, the monitoring activities of the trade supervisory offices of the governments have been cross-border. Information on safety defects in products is exchanged throughout the EU.

In order to ensure that only safe products that meet the high European standards are placed on the market (i.e. reach the retail market), the Bavarian Trade Supervisory Authority performs the following tasks in particular.

The trade supervisory authority

• inspects technical products at trade fairs, exhibitions and in retail - including online retail - by means of targeted spot checks,
• follows up information and complaints,
• informs manufacturers and importers on issues relating to CE marking of technical products (declaration that the requirements of relevant EU regulations or EU directives on the quality of the product have been met), European safety standards and conformity assessment procedures,
• inspects technical products on a case-by-case basis at the manufacturer's, dealer's or importer's premises,
• participates as a consumer protection authority in the Europe-wide EU Rapid Information System and
• takes measures against unsafe products, up to and including prohibiting their sale.

If you have any questions about the safety requirements of technical products, or if you suspect that a product does not meet the prescribed safety requirements, you can contact the government's Trade Inspectorate directly. The Internet-based information and communication system for Europe-wide market surveillance of technical products (ICSMS) and the SafetyGate portal (see "Online procedure") are available to consumers and the authorities as a tool for exchanging information about unsafe products and product risks.

In Bavaria, market surveillance is carried out by the trade supervisory offices at the government level. Each trade supervisory office has special responsibilities for the whole of Bavaria. You can find an overview of the relevant responsibilities under "Related links".

The competent market surveillance authorities for the area of technical product safety are the trade supervisory offices at the governments of Middle Franconia and Upper Bavaria, Market Surveillance Competence Center.