Market surveillance
The purpose of the market surveillance carried out by the authorities is to ensure compliance with regulations and that no dangerous or unsafe products are on sale in the single market of the European Union.
Market surveillance is carried out retrospectively and it is based on risk assessment.
Manufacturers, importers and vendors and (in services) service providers are primarily responsible for ensuring compliance.
In addition to safety requirements, market surveillance also covers compliance with the requirements concerning other product and service characteristics (such as environmental protection).
The authorities carrying out market surveillance operate in the administrative branches of different ministries. The Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes) is responsible for market surveillance in the administrative branch of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.
EU legislation
Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council provides an overall framework for market surveillance. In addition to market surveillance, the regulation also contains provisions on accreditation, controls on products from third countries and the CE marking. In Finland, the EU legislation is supplemented by the Act on Violations Concerning CE Markings (187/2010).
Under the Directive 2001/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on general product safety, the authorities supervise the safety of all consumer products for which there are no harmonised requirements in the European Union.
CE marking
The CE marking shows that a product
- meets all essential requirements
- is in compliance with all requirements laid down in applicable directives
- has been evaluated in accordance with these requirements.
The purpose of these measures is to ensure that a product fulfils minimum standards concerning safety, health, environmental protection and consumer protection. Using market surveillance, authorities also monitor and seek to prevent the abuse of the CE marking. The CE marking may only be attached to products to which it can be attached under the relevant Community harmonisation legislation. CE markings may not be attached to any other products.
Further information: emilia tiuttu(at)gov.fi