• In 2022 UOKiK submitted 173 notifications concerning over 1.6 million dangerous products to the Safety Gate/RAPEX system. This figure puts us in the third place among the countries participating in the system (behind Germany and France).
• Poland is also the second largest in terms of withdrawing or recapturing dangerous products from consumers (behind Portugal).
• Most of the reports concerned toys, electrical and lighting equipment, and machinery. Below you will find some examples of products that we have eliminated from the market.

The Safety Gate/ RAPEX system (Rapid Alert System for dangerous non-food products) is an EU system for the prompt exchange of information on dangerous non-food products. Its main objective is to ensure efficient communication between the members of the European Union and the European Commission on articles presenting some risk. The system also contains data on actions taken by countries or entrepreneurs themselves in order to exclude or limit the marketing of dangerous products. It includes countries being member of the European Economic Area (27 members of the European Union plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway).

- We maintain a contact point for the Safety Gate/RAPEX system in Poland. Our task is to inform you about dangerous products detected in the country. We also respond to notifications from other Member States in order to eliminate products dangerous to consumers as soon as possible - explains President of UOKiK Tomasz Chróstny.

The contact point performs tasks by, among other things, ordering the inspection to the Trade Inspection Authority, providing information to other competent national audit authorities (e.g. Sanitary Inspection Authority) or sending data on the results of activities of these authorities in relation to dangerous products (e.g. decisions of President of UOKiK). The Safety Gate/RAPEX platform allows for prompt elimination of dangerous products from the market.

The Safety Gate/RAPEX system includes non-food products intended for consumers and products likely to be used by them. However, the registry does not contain information on pharmaceuticals, medical devices, feed or food - the latter group operates its own system (RASFF).

Our activities in 2022

For years, UOKiK has been among the leaders in terms of the number of notifications entered into the Safety Gate/RAPEX system. According to the latest report of the European Commission on the system operation, since 2013 the number of notifications of dangerous products submitted by UOKiK has increased more than four times.

In 2022, the Authority submitted 173 notifications of dangerous products to the system which is by 15 more than in the previous year. This figure puts us in the third place among the countries participating in the system (behind Germany and France). In addition, in 343 cases, we have responded to information from other countries contributing thereby to the elimination or recapturing from consumers of dangerous products that had been made available on our market. This is the second highest result among the system participants (behind Portugal).

The most frequently reported products by UOKiK in 2022 included:

• toys: 104 notifications (60%) - this segment of the market is perceived by UOKiK as particularly important, it is a permanent priority in cooperation with the Trade Inspection Authority; notifications concerning toys mainly referred to structural defects or materials from which they are made, including their chemical properties;
• electrical and lighting equipment: 31 notifications (18%) - appliances commonly used in households which may pose a serious risk, such as electric shock or fire.
• machinery: 12 notifications (7%) – chainsaws, hedged knives or car lifts are products used occasionally but which pose a risk of injury to the user when operating incorrectly.

Apart from these product groups, in 2022 UOKiK also reported to the Safety Gate/RAPEX system items such as: pyrotechnic products, clothes, personal protective equipment, sports equipment, commodities for children and furniture.

At the same time, in 2022, other Member States placed 213 responses to notifications submitted by UOKiK. This proves that the activities of the Authority together with the Trade Inspection Authority have a pan-European dimension and have a real impact on improving the safety of foreign consumers as well.

Download the European Commission report summarising the Safety Gate/RAPEX system in 2022.

Consumer Support:

Phone: +48 801 440 220 or +48 222 66 76 76 – consumer helpline
E-mail: porady@dlakonsumentow.pl
Consumer Ombudsmen – in your town or district
Provincial Trade Inspection Authority Offices
European Consumer Centre - +48 22 55 60 600 – in cross-border cases involving the EU, Norway, Iceland and the United Kingdom

Additional information for the media:

UOKiK Press Office
pl. Powstańców Warszawy 1, 00-950 Warsaw
Phone: + 48 22 55 60 246
E-mail: biuroprasowe@uokik.gov.pl
Twitter: @UOKiKgovPL
You can also follow us on Instagram: @uokikgovpl