Europe, China sign
consumer safety agreement
11/17/2008 | 07:57 PM
Source of Article: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/134045/Europe-China-sign-consumer-safety-agreement
BRUSSELS,
Belgium - The European
Union and China
signed an agreement Monday to cooperate better on consumer safety in the wake
of high-profile scares such as contaminated Chinese milk and dangerous toy
cars.
Under the agreement, the two sides will more quickly swap information on
tainted food and other dangerous goods. The deal also allows for officials
from the EU and China
to carry out coordinated checks on producers to ensure safety standards are
met.
After the signing, top consumer affairs officials from China and the
EU were joined by Nancy A. Nord, head of the US Consumer Product Safety
Commission, to consider further three-way cooperation, including possible
common safety standards for toys.
Half of all dangerous products seized by European customs and product safety
authorities last year came from China, according to the European
Commission, with toys topping the list.
China
is the biggest exporter to the 27-nation European Union.
In September, the EU banned imports of any baby food products from China that
contain traces of milk in response to a scare over tainted Chinese dairy
products.
“This memorandum substantially strengthens the systems of safety controls for
product and food safety between the EU and China," said EU Consumer
Protection Commissioner Meglena Kuneva.
“It provides for more transparency, better monitoring and new possibilities
for joint surveillance." - AP
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