CASP 2019, coordinated activities on the safety of products : final report.
Date: 2023-03-28
Institutions: Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers
Subjects: EC conformity marking, EU market, communications policy, market supervision, performance measurement, product safety, risk management, safety standard, sampling

EN

CASP 2019 

Coordinated Activities on the Safety of Products
Final Report

PROTECTING  
European consumers 
together

Justice  
and Consumers

2

Table of contents

List of abbreviations  
1.  Executive summary 
  1.1  Background information 

1.1.1	 Main	objectives	and	benefits	
1.1.2  CASP activities 

  1.2  Highlights and results 
  1.3  General conclusion 
2.  Introduction 
  2.1  Roles and responsibilities 
  2.2  Participation by country 
  2.3  Project timeline 
2.3.1  PSAs 
2.3.2  HAs 
3.  Main results 
  3.1	 Soft-filled	toys	
  3.2  Batteries 
  3.3  Chargers 
  3.4  Personal transport devices 
  3.5	 Child	bicycle	seats	
	 3.6	 Online	market	surveillance	
  3.7  Knowledge sharing 
  3.8  Risk assessment 
4.  Communication activities 
5.  Conclusions and recommendations 
  5.1	 General	conclusions	
	 5.2	 Recommendations	
6.  Annexes   
  6.1	 Annex	1	–	List	of	participating	MSAs	
  6.2  Annex 2 – Information kit for media and stakeholders 

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List of abbreviations

CASP

Coordinated Activity on the Safety of Products 

CHAFEA

Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency

EC

EEA

EU

HA

ICT

MS

MSA

OMS

PSA

RA

European Commission

European Economic Area 

European Union

Horizontal activity

Information and communications technology

Member State(s)

Market surveillance authority

Online market surveillance

Product	specific	activity

Risk assessment

Safety Gate/ 
RAPEX

Rapid	alert	system	for	dangerous	non-food	products

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1. Executive summary

1.1 Background information

Coordinated Activities on the Safety of Products (CASP) 
enable  all  authorities  from  European  Union  (EU)  and 
European Economic Area (EEA) countries responsible for 
market surveillance to cooperate to reinforce the safety 
of  products  placed  on  the  European  markets.  CASP 
projects  can  focus  on  the  analysis  of  a  single  product 
or	 a	 group	 of	 products	 –	 product	 specific	 activities	
(PSAs) – or on the exchange of best practices on market 
surveillance, horizontal activities (HAs).

A  CASP  project  operates  at  three  levels  (Testing, 
Cooperation  and  Communication),  as  can  be  seen  in 
Figure 1.

CASP operates at three levels:

Figure 1 – Scope of CASP

Testing
It organises the testing of products pre-selected by the market surveillance authorities (MSAs) participating 
in each project.

Cooperation
It encourages cooperation and the exchange of good practices among the MSAs.

Communication
It  contributes  to  greater  awareness  about  product  safety  among  economic  operators  and  consumers 
through an active communication strategy regarding its activities and results.

1.1.1 Main objectives and benefits
In  general,  CASP’s  goal  is  to  protect  the  European 
consumer  by  ensuring  a  safe  Single  Market  through 
engaging	 representatives	 of	 MSAs	 in	 specific	 testing	
campaigns  of  products  likely  to  put  consumers’  safety 
at risk, and establishing a meaningful exchange of ideas 
and  best  practices  for  developing  common  approaches, 
methodologies, practical tools and guidelines. 
The	objectives	are	further	specified	in	Figure	2.

Main Objectives

Figure 2 – Main objectives of CASP

•  Develop  a  transparent  and  consistent  methodology  for  targeting,  sampling,  testing  and  assessing  the  consumer  risks 

associated	with	specific	product	groups;
Increase MSA knowledge and competency	in	relation	to	market	surveillance	related	issues;

• 
•  Develop a common testing protocol and risk assessment scenarios	on	the	risks	associated	with	specific	product	groups;
• 
•  Create a discussion space	to	exchange	views	enabling	the	further	harmonisation	on	the	single	market;
•  Enhance collaboration between MSAs.

Identify specific products available	on	the	EU	market	presenting	serious	safety	risks;

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All	 Product	 specific	 activities	 (PSAs)	 within	 CASP	 focus	
on testing the safety of consumer products. By bundling 
resources,  the  coordinated  activities  allow  a  large 
number of products to be tested in a harmonised way, 
using	the	most	relevant	tests	identified,	and	relying	fully	
on	 the	 European	 Commission’s	 financial	 support	 (thus	
freeing  the  participating  authorities  from  all  testing 
related expenses). 
The	main	benefits	of	CASP	are	listed	in	Figure	3.

Benefits

Figure 3 – Main benefits of CASP

•  Larger amounts of products have	been	tested	and	resources	have	been	used	more	efficiently;
•  Tests are performed under identical conditions by accredited European laboratories;
•  Testing plans, approaches and methodologies have been uniformly applied	across	MSAs;	
•  More consistent communication materials/efforts have been established with both economic operators and consumers.

1.1.2 CASP activities 

1.1.2.1  Product specific activities (PSAs)
Within CASP, all the PSAs require a similar approach. This 
starts with the joint selection of product categories to be 
analysed and ends with the publication of the outcomes 
in  the  form  of  a  European-wide  communication 
campaign.  The  sequence  of  steps  are  summarised  in 
Figure	4.

How does it work?

Figure 4 – Sequence of steps for PSAs in CASP

Joint decisions on sampling and testing criteria 

1
The European Commission (EC) invites MSAs to take part in CASP 
activities  (pre-selected  based  on  the  MSAs’  interests).  Participating 
MSAs,  supported  by  contracted  experts,  make  joint  decisions 
regarding the products from their national markets to be sampled 
under each category, and the testing criteria.

2

Testing activities and corrective measures

After	 the	 national	 sampling	 by	 MSAs,	 the	 products	 are	 tested  in 
accredited laboratories located in the EU. The MSAs then analyse 
the  outcome  of  the  tests,  jointly  assess  the  risks  and  take  the 
appropriate measures regarding any non-compliant products that 
have been found to pose a risk to consumers.  Those products are 
then subject to an alert in the Safety Gate/RAPEX.

3

Development of communication materials

The	results	and	key	findings	are	then	converted	into	communication 
materials  to  be  disseminated  among  economic  operators  and 
consumers. 

CASP Closing Event and communication campaign

4
At the end of each project cycle, the CASP Closing Event presents 
the  outcomes  of  the  projects  and  launches  a  European-wide 
communication campaign. 

Figure 1 – Scope of CASP

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1.1.2.2  Horizontal activities (HAs)
CASP HAs require a dedicated approach, one aimed at 
increasing the consistency of practices and approaches 
across  the  EU  and  EEA  countries  for  various  market 
surveillance  activities  or  for  other  areas  covered  by 
them.	 Specific	 activities	 undertaken	 within	 these	
coordinated  activities:  facilitated  the  development  of 
common	 tools	 and	 templates;	 focused	 on	 exchanging	
opinions,	 information	 and	 best	 practices;	 fostered	
cross-country	 cooperation;	 and	 tackled	 new	 market	
surveillance	challenges.	They	offered	valuable	learning	
opportunities  to  project  participants  by  exposing  them 
to emerging technologies and how they could be applied 

to the work of MSAs. These activities created a forum 
for open debate where MSAs could openly express their 
challenges,  brainstorm  solutions  and  cooperatively 
explore and develop ideas for new approaches.   

The  CASP  2019  project	was	composed	of	five	PSAs	
and three HAs (listed in Figure 5).

Figure 5 – Overview of CASP 2019

Soft-filled	toys

Common risk assessment 
methodologies

s
e
i
t
i
v
i
t
c
A
c
fi
i
c
e
p
S

t
c
u
d
o
r
P

Child bicycle seats

Batteries

Chargers

s
e
i
t
i
v
i
t
c
A

l
a
t
n
o
z
i
r
o
H

Knowledge sharing  
and mutual visits  
to MSAs

Personal transport 
devices

Common approaches  
to	on-line	market	 
surveillance

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1.2 Highlights and results

To make the results on all samples collected across the 
EU  comparable,  CASP  required  the  full  harmonisation 
of the testing plans. Decisions on testing and sampling 
needed to be made through joint consultation to agree 
on a common plan.

To  support  this  principle  the  Contractor  developed 
a  budget  simulation  tool  to  support  the  MSAs’ 
decisions	regarding	the	definition	and	refinement	of	the	
product sampling and testing plans. This facilitated the 
collection of the opinions and views of the participants 
and their translation into a concrete result. 

The  results  of  CASP  2019  are  based  on  the  products 
sampled  by  participating  MSAs  (as  described  in  the 
individual	 PSA	 final	 reports).	 The	 testing	 laboratory	
prepared reports for each tested sample and delivered 
them to the relevant participating MSAs. The test reports 
contain the results (compliant/non-compliant in relation 
to the relevant clauses of the standard) of each of the 
tests carried out by the lab. The aggregated results are 
summarised in Figures 6 and 7.

Figures 6 and 7 – Total number of samples collected within  
CASP 2019/Rate of non-compliant samples per activity (%)

Total number of samples: 457

Rate of non-compliant samples  
per activity (%)

46

44

86

	 Soft-filled	toys

  Batteries

  Chargers

  Child bicycle seats

  Personal transporters

92

Soft-filled	toys

66%

34%

Personal transporters 

20%

80%

189

Child bicycle seats 

100%

Chargers

35%

65%

Batteries

89%

11%

0%       20%       40%      60%      80%  100%

 Compliant samples    

	Non-compliant	samples

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During	 CASP	 2019,	 the	 soft-filled	 toys	 activity	 was	
the one with the largest number of samples tested 
(189). For the child bicycle seats activity, all the samples 
tested	 were	 identified	 as	 non-compliant.	 Personal	
transport devices closely followed: 80% of the samples 
posed some kind of risk according to the tests.

Figures 8 and 9 – Breakdown of non-compliant samples into risk 
levels per PSA/Samples presenting a serious risk per PSA

Based	 on	 the	 findings	 of	 the	 test	 reports,	 each	 MSA	
undertook  a  risk  assessment  (RA)  for  each  of  the 
defective products collected from its national market in 
order to identify and quantify the health risk posed by 
the  product  (determining  the  severity  of  the  potential 
injury	that	the	user	could	suffer	and	the	probability	of	
such injuries occurring). The results were shared with all 
participants, as summarised in Figures 8 and 9.

Breakdown of non-compliant samples into risk levels

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Batteries

Chargers

Child bicycle 
seats

Personal 
transporters

Soft-filled	toys

  Serious risk  

 High risk  

 Medium risk  

  Low risk  

 NA

Samples presenting a serious risk: 64 out of a total of 457 samples tested

Product category

Samples tested

Serious risk  
(# samples)

Serious risk (%)

Soft-filled	toys	

Batteries

Chargers 

Personal transport devices 

Child bicycle seats 

Total

189

92

86

46

44

457

44

1

7

4

8

64

23%

1%

8%

9%

18%

14%

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This RA evaluation led the MSAs to enforce the necessary 
corrective measures in order to mitigate or remove any 
potential  risks  posed  to  users  (both  consumers  and 
professionals). An overview of the corrective measures 
taken  by  MSAs  can  be  found  in  Table  1  below.  The 
number	of	measures	taken	or	planned	by	MSAs	reflect	
the total number of non-compliant products in each PSA 
identified	during	testing.	As	some	non-compliance	issues	

were still being assessed while this the report was being 
drafted,	additional	measures	are	expected	to	be	taken	
by MSAs over the following months, and are marked as 
‘Pending’ in the table. Any minor non-compliance issues 
(very	low	risk)	identified	during	the	RA,	for	which	MSAs	
don’t	need	to	take	any	specific	measures,	are	marked	as	
‘No	specific	measure	needed’.

Table 1 - Summary of corrective measures taken by MSAs per PSA1

Types of corrective  
measures taken  
by MSAs

Soft-filled	
toys

Batteries

Chargers

Child 
bicycle seats

Personal 
transport 
devices

0

Destruction of the product

2

2

10 

Recall of the product from 
end users

Ban on the marketing 
of the product and any 
accompanying measures

The	factors	that	influenced	the	MSA	choices	concerning	
tests	 on	 personal	 transporters	 are:	 market	 presence;	
the	 MSAs’	 interest	 in	 specific	 categories;	 the	 hazards	
associated  with  these  products.  For  instance,  in  most 
European countries there was a high increase in the use 
of e-scooters in 2019 compared to previous years, as 
well as an increase in the number of accidents related 
to them, therefore the MSAs decided that a larger share 
of  the  PTD  budget  should  be  allocated  to  e-scooters.  

Sales ban and withdrawal of 
the product from the national 
market by the retailer

3 

8 

0

0

2 

0

Sales ban and withdrawal of 
the product from the national 
market by the distributor

Withdrawal of the product 
from the market

Sales stop

Sales stop (temporary)

Import of the product 
rejected at the border

Prohibition of distribution 
until	non-compliance	issue	is	
resolved

Adaptations proposed by the 
manufacturer

Information shared with the 
manufacturer/importer

Non-compliance	issues	
resolved by the manufacturer

Non-compliance	issues	
resolved by the importer

Non-compliance	issues	
resolved by the economic 
operator

No	specific	measure	needed

Pending RA/ measures

TOTAL non-compliance 
issues/measures

TOTAL samples tested

24

0

0

1 

0

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

15

65 

189

3

3

0

0 

0 

0

1

0

0

0

0

1

10 

92

0

0

0

5 

The	 relative	 importance	 of	 each	 category	 is	 reflected	
in	 the	 number	 of	 products	 to	 be	 sampled	 in	 the	 final	
sampling plan.
0 

0 

0 

8 

0 

0 

0 

During the KoM, the MSAs expressed their preferences 
for	 sampling	 both	 online	 and	 offline	 (retail	 and	
imports).	Considering	the	different	distribution	channels	
accessible to each MSA, the participants agreed to use 
any available sourcing channel for sampling purposes, 
as  long  as  the  products  fell  within  the  agreed  scope 
and	 reflected	 the	 relative	 importance	 of	 the	 product	
categories. 

15 

18 

0 

0 

0 

0 

3 

1

0

0 

2 

1 

0 

3 

5 

6 

1

14

56 

86

1

4

0 

0 

0 

3 

0 

0 

0 

0

13

44 

44

2

0

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

6 

0

25

37 

46

1 Table 1 depicts the situation on the date of the CASP 2019 Closing Event (7.7.2020).

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Participating authorities had to submit an alert to Safety 
Gate/RAPEX about the measures taken concerning products 
tested  during  CASP  2019  that  were  found  to  pose  risks 
to	 consumers.	 The	 number	 of	 Safety	 Gates	 notifications	
reported during CASP 2019 are summarised in Figure 10.

Figure 10 – RAPEX notifications relating to products 
tested during CASP 20191

Safety Gate notifications relating to products tested in CASP 2019

39

Soft-filled	toys

Personal transporters 

Child bicycle seats 

Chargers

Batteries

1

2

9

1

5

3

7

1

0 

10  

20 

30 

40

	Safety	Gate	notifications	submitted

	Safety	Gate	notifications	pending

1.3 General conclusion

The  coordinated  activity  created  the  opportunity  for 
participants  to  expand  their  knowledge  regarding 
the  product  and  the  testing  methods,  as  well  as 
exchange experiences regarding the use of test results 
for developing RAs and taking corrective measures. 
By  participating  in  CASP  2019,  MSAs  contributed  to 
the  development  of  common  methods  and  practices 
aimed at ensuring consistent actions against defective 
products  across  the  EU  Member  States  (MS)  in  order 
to  confer  a  similar  level  of  protection  to  all  European 
consumers. 

The  insights  generated  from  this  coordinated  activity 
were also captured in a set of communication materials 
aimed at raising consumer awareness and providing tips 
for the safe use of the products within the scope of the 
project. Also, important issues relevant to standardisation 
bodies  and  economic  operators  were  discussed,  and 
provide a base for further dialogue with key stakeholders 
for improving the safety of products. 

1Figure 10 depicts the situation on the date of the CASP 2019 Closing Event (7.7.2020).

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10  

20 

30 

40

2. Introduction

11

2.1 Roles and responsibilities 

As  part  of  CASP  2019,  29  MSAs  from  22  EU  and  2 
EEA  MS  (see  Annex  1)  joined  forces.  The  CASP  2019 
participants, as well as the roles and responsibilities of 

the actors contributing to this coordinated activity, are 
listed below. 

Figure 11 – Participants, roles and responsibilities

Category

IS

MSAs 

Member States 

29

24

SE

NO

DK

UK

NL

BE

DE

LU

FR

PL

SK

HU

CZ

AT
SI HR

FI

LV

LT

RO

BG

PT

GR

MT

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

CY

MSAs
MSAs	participate	in	decision	making	to	define	the	sampling	and	testing	plans,	conduct	sampling	on	their	national	markets,	
conduct	risk	assessments	and	take	corrective	actions	when	dangerous	products	are	identified.

CHAFEA
CHAFEA acts as the Contracting Authority and manages the administrative relationship with the Contractor on behalf of the 
Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers.
DG JUST
DG JUST oversees the planning and execution of the CASP initiatives, ensuring the operational leadership and management 
of the CASP projects and ensuring a successful implementation. 
Technical experts
Provide	technical	insights	and	guidance	to	MSAs	to	develop	the	sampling	and	testing	plan,	interpret	test	findings,	conduct	
risk assessments and draw overall conclusions and recommendations.
Contractor
•  Overall  coordination  and  logistical  organisation  of  the  activities,  including  all  necessary  meetings  throughout  

the	project;

•	 Providing	technical	expertise	and	advice	to	support	the	work	of	the	national	market	surveillance	authorities;		
•  Reporting on, communicating and disseminating the outcome of the activities to all CASP 2019 participants and relevant 

stakeholders.

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2.2 Participation by country

PSAs

HAs

Soft	Filled	
Toys

Batteries Chargers

Personal
transport
devices

Austria 
Belgium	
Bulgaria 
Croatia	
Cyprus	
Czech Republic 
Denmark	
Estonia 
Finland 
France	
Germany	
Greece 
Hungary 
Iceland 
Ireland 
Italy 
Latvia	
Liechtenstein 
Lithuania 
Luxembourg	
Malta	
Netherlands 
Norway 
Poland 
Portugal	
Romania 
Slovakia 
Slovenia	
Spain 
Sweden 
Total 

19	
19 

21	
19 

19 

16	

19 
19	
19	

19 

189 

7	

5	

12 
7	
32	

7	

12 

10 
92 

3 
7	

5	
5	
9 

16 
9	
5	

5	

5	

5	

12 
86 

5	

3	
2	
6 

4 
6	
5	

6	

3	
2	

4 

Online  
market  
surveillance

Knowledge 
sharing

Risk  
assessment

Child
bicycle 
seats
3 
6	

4

6 
5	

4 

2	

5

5

4

46 

44 

/ 

/ 

/

Figure 12 – Participation in CASP 2019

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2.3 Project timeline

2.3.1 PSAs
The  PSAs  were  divided  into  three  phases  (Inception, 
Testing and Reporting), the operational details of which 
can	be	found	in	the	PSA	final	reports1.

Feb.

March

April

May

June

July

Aug.

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

March

April

May

June

July

2019

2020

Figure 13 – PSA timelines

Development of  
communication plan

Communication activities

Child bicycle seats

Inception phase

Personal transporters

Inception phase

Testing phase

Testing phase

Chargers

Batteries

Inception phase

Inception phase

Testing phase

Testing phase

Reporting phase

Reporting phase

Reporting phase

Reporting phase

Soft-filled toys

Inception phase

Testing phase

Reporting phase

Kick-off meetings

Laboratory meetings

Final meetings

Internal project  
wrap-up

CASP 2019  
Closing Event

2.3.2 HAs
As each HA required a dedicated approach, the activities 
were	distinctively	different	from	the	PSAs.	Operational	
details	can	be	found	in	the	HA	final	reports2.

Feb.

March

April

May

June

July

Aug.

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

March

April

May

June

July

2019

2020

Figure 14 – HA timelines

Online market surveillance

Scoping the micro-simulation

Development of the micro-simulation

Knowledge transfer

Risk assessment

Development of RA tools

Testing of RA tools

Improving scenarios and lessons

Knowledge sharing

Nomination and selection of topics

In-depth research and preparation of relevant content

Documentation of outcomes

Kick-off meetings

Study visit Warsaw

Study visit Helsinki

Final meetings

Internal project  
wrap-up

CASP 2019  
Closing Event

1  https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/consumers_safety/safety_products/rapex/alerts/?event=casp:2019&lng=en  
2 https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/consumers_safety/safety_products/rapex/alerts/?event=casp:2019&lng=en

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3. Main results

As  a  result  of  the  tests  performed  on  the  selected 
samples,  the  laboratories  provide  individual  reports 
indicating  compliance  or  non-compliance  with  the 
specific	clauses	of	the	standards	included	in	the	testing	
plan. A non-compliance issue does not necessarily imply 
a  serious  risk.  Each  non-compliance  issue  undergoes 
a  thorough  RA  to  determine  its  implications  regarding 
safety  and  the  corresponding  risk  level.  Not  all  non-
compliance  issues  have  safety  implications,  therefore 
not	 all	 non-compliance	 issues	 identified	 in	 the	 test	
results	lead	to	notifications	on	Safety	Gate.	Some	non-
compliance issues may be improper markings, or faulty 
documentation  accompanying  the  product  when  it  is 
placed on the market, and may not be directly linked to 
the product’s performance. Please note that all numbers 
used	 in	 the	 figures	 in	 this	 section	 are	 based	 on	 the	
situation on the date of the CASP 2019 Closing Event 
(7 July 2020).

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151515

3.1 Soft-filled toys

Of all tested samples, 34 % were non-compliant with at least one of the clauses included in 
the test plan. ‘Toys containing batteries’ was the product category with the highest proportion 
of	 non-compliance	 issues	 (61%	 of	 the	 tested	 samples).	 The	 majority	 of	 the	 non-compliance	
issues were linked to small parts	(55	%).	Several	samples	presented	multiple	non-compliance	
issues. 

Figure 15 – Total number of samples, overall testing results and test results per product type

TOTAL NUMBER OF SAMPLES: 189

OVERALL TESTING RESULTS

62 

56 

28 

43 

Toys containing plastic
Toys with attached components
Toys containing batteries
Toys without features

Non-
compliant 
samples

34 %

66 %

Compliant  
samples

Please note that a test  
non-compliance	does	not	necessarily	 
imply a serious risk.

TEST RESULTS PER PRODUCT TYPE

70 %

30 %

Toys containing plastic

52 %

48 %

Toys with attached components

39 %

61 %
Toys containing batteries

83 %

17 %

Toys without features

  Compliant samples    
Non-compliant	samples

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Following the appropriate risk assessment, 23% of all soft-filled toys tested were found to 
pose a serious safety risk to consumers.	Within	the	CASP	2019	soft-filled	toys	activity,	39 
notifications were submitted to Safety Gate.

Figure 16 – Risk levels of all non-compliant samples and breakdown of CASP 2019 soft-filled toys activity

Risk levels of all non-compliant samples 
(65 cases) 

12

3

6

30%

44

 Serious risk 

 High risk 

 Low risk 

 To be determined

65 out of 189 SFT samples tested under CASP 2019  
were found to be non-compliant

50 out of 65 non-compliant samples 
presented either a serious risk 
or a high risk

39 notifications submitted 
to Safety Gate,  
as a result of 
this activity 
in CASP 2019

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3.2 Batteries

Of all tested samples, 11% were non-compliant with at least one of the clauses included 
in the test plan.	‘Power	banks’	was	the	product	category	presenting	the	most	non-compliance	
issues (14% of the tested samples failed at least one clause in the tests), while ‘online shops’ 
was	 the	 retail	 channel	 with	 the	 most	 non-compliant	 samples	 (13%	 of	 the	 tested	 products	
sampled online failed at least one clause of the tests). The highest percentage of the defects 
was linked to an external short-circuit weakness (8%). 

Figure 17 - Total number of samples, overall testing results and test results per product type

TOTAL NUMBER OF SAMPLES: 92

OVERALL TESTING RESULTS

31

37 

24

Power banks
‘18650’	cell	type	batteries
Replacement batteries  
for smartphones and tablets

Non-
compliant 
samples

11 %

89 %

Compliant  
samples

Please note that a test  
non-compliance	does	not	necessarily	 
imply a serious risk.

TEST RESULTS PER PRODUCT TYPE

86 %
Power banks

14 %
4 %

96 %
‘18650’	cell	type	batteries

87%
Replacement batteries  
for smartphones and tablets

13 %

Compliant samples    
Non-compliant	samples

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Following the appropriate risk assessment, only  1%  of  all  batteries  tested  were  found  to 
pose a serious safety risk to consumers. Based on the products tested within the CASP 2019 
batteries activity, 1 notification was submitted in Safety Gate and 3 were planned but not 
yet submitted.

Figure 18 – Risk levels of all non-compliant samples and breakdown of CASP 2019 batteries activity

Risk levels of all non-compliant samples 
(10 cases) 

1

1

3

5

 Serious risk 

 High risk 

 Low risk 

 To be determined

10 out of 92 batteries samples tested under CASP2019 
were found to be non-compliant

4 out of 10 non-compliant samples 
presented either a serious risk 
or a high risk

1 notification submitted 
to Safety Gate and 3 
pending submission, 
as a result of this 
activity in 
CASP 2019

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1919

3.3 Chargers

Of  all  tested  samples,  65%  were  non-compliant  with  at  least  one  of  the  clauses  of  the 
standards	 selected	 for	 the	 specific	 testing	 plan	 in	 this	 activity.	 ‘Universal	 chargers’	 was	 the	
product	sub-category	with	the	most	non-compliance	issues	(20/23	of	the	samples	failed	the	
tests). Incorrect or absent markings and instructions were	linked	to	most	of	the	non-compliance	
issues	(50%).	

Figure 19 – Total number of samples, overall testing results and test results per product type

TOTAL NUMBER OF SAMPLES: 86

OVERALL TESTING RESULTS

38

23 

25

USB Chargers
Laptop/tablet chargers
Universal chargers

Non-
compliant 
samples

Compliant  
samples

35 %

65 %

Please note that a test  
non-compliance	does	not	necessarily	 
imply a serious risk.

TEST RESULTS PER PRODUCT TYPE

39 %

61 %

USB chargers

48 %

52 %
Laptop/tablet chargers

13 %

87 %

Universal chargers

Compliant samples    
Non-compliant	samples

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Following the appropriate risk assessments, 8% of all chargers tested were found to pose 
a  serious  safety  risk  to  consumers.  Based  on  the  products  tested  within  the  CASP  2019 
chargers activity, 9 notifications were submitted in Safety Gate and 1 was planned but not 
yet submitted.

Figure 20 – Risk levels of all non-compliant samples and breakdown of CASP 2019 chargers activity

Risk levels of all non-compliant samples 
(56 cases) 

12

16

7

8

13

 Serious 

 High  

 Medium  

 Low 

 To be determined

56 out of 86 chargers samples tested under CASP 2019 
were found to be non-compliant

20 out of 56 non-compliant samples 
presented either a serious or a high risk

9 notifications submitted 
to Safety Gate and 
1 pending submission, 
as a result of this 
activity in 
CASP 2019

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3.4 Personal transport devices

Of all tested samples, 80% were  non-compliant with at least one of the clauses included 
in the test plan.	‘Hoverboards’	was		the		product	sub-category	with	the	most	non-compliance	
issues	(all	12	samples	tested	did	not	comply	with	at	least	one	clause).	The	majority	(56%)	of	
the defects were linked to moisture penetration (the tests replicated the repeated outdoor use 
of the device during the lifetime of the product). 

Figure 21 – Total number of samples, overall testing results and test results per product type

TOTAL NUMBER OF SAMPLES: 46

OVERALL TESTING RESULTS

3 

12 

19 

12 

EPAC bike
E-scooter
Hoverboard
Uni-wheel

Compliant 
samples

20 %

80 %

Non-
compliant  
samples

Please note that a test  
non-compliance	does	not	necessarily	 
imply a serious risk.

TEST RESULTS PER PRODUCT TYPE

8 %

92 %
EPAC bike

26 %

74 %

E-scooter

100 %
Hoverboard

100 %
Uni-wheel

Compliant samples    
Non-compliant	samples

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Following the appropriate risk assessment, 9% of all personal transport devices tested were 
found to pose a serious safety risk to consumers. Based on the products tested within the 
CASP 2019 personal transport devices activity, 1 notification was reported in Safety Gate 
and 5 were planned but not yet submitted. 

Figure 22 – Risk levels of all non-compliant samples and breakdown of CASP 2019 personal transport devices activity

Risk levels of all non-compliant samples 
(37 cases) 

5

4

15

4

9

 Serious 

 High  

 Medium  

 Low  

 To be determined

37 out of 46 personal transport device samples under 
CASP 2019 were found to be non-compliant

8 out of 37 non-compliant samples 
presented either a serious or high risk

1 notification submitted 
to Safety Gate and 
5 pending submission, 
as a result of 
this activity 
in CASP 2019

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3.5 Child bicycle seats

All of the tested samples were non-compliant with at least one of the clauses of the standards 
used	for	the	specific	testing	plan	in	this	activity.	The	majority	of	the	non-compliance	issues	were	
linked to sharp edges (98%) and dimensions (97%). 

Figure 23 – Total number of samples, overall testing results and test results per product type

TOTAL NUMBER OF SAMPLES: 44

OVERALL TESTING RESULTS

1 

11 

32 

No seats failed all tests, but all seats  
failed at least one part of the test.

100 %

A22
C15
Adapter for transporting a child car seat  
on a bicycle

	Non-compliant	samples
At	least	1	non-compliance	found

Please	note	that	a	test	non-compliance	does	not	
necessarily imply a serious risk.

TEST RESULTS BY TYPE OF TEST

3 %

2 %

97 %
Dimensions
98 %
Edges, corners, projections

27 %

73 %
Strength/durability

70 %

30 %

Free length of straps

Compliant samples    
Non-compliant	samples

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Following the appropriate risk assessment, 18% of the child bicycle seats tested were found 
to  pose  a  serious  safety  risk  to  consumers.  Based  on  the  products  tested  within  the  CASP 
2019 child bicycle seats activity, 2 notifications were submitted to Safety Gate and 7 were 
planned but not yet submitted.

Figure 24 – Risk levels of all non-compliant samples and breakdown of CASP 2019 child bicycle seats activity

Risk levels of all non-compliant samples 
(44 cases) 

18

8

10

4

4

 Serious 

 High  

 Medium  

 Low  

 To be determined

All of the 44 child bicycle seats tested under CASP 2019 
were found to be  non-compliant

18 out of 44 non-compliant samples 
presented either a serious or high risk

2 notifications submitted
 in Safety Gate and 
7 pending submission, 
as a result of 
this activity 
in CASP 2019

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3.6 Online market surveillance

The  HA  on  online  market  surveillance  (OMS)  focused 
on	 the	 potential	 benefits	 and	 efficacy	 of	 text	 mining	
technologies  applied  to  e-commerce,  as  well  as  the 
identification	 of	 the	 main	 challenges	 faced	 when	
performing OMS.

Figure 25 – Context, objectives, process and outcomes of the OMS activity

Context
The	efficacy	of	the	protection	of	consumers	within	
the Single Market is being dramatically challenged 
by the continuous growth of e-commerce. 
Powerful	inter-continental	operators	offer	
remarkably	efficient	platforms	facilitating	the	
purchase of products from a variety of trustworthy 
and untrustworthy sources. Improving online 
surveillance is therefore critical, and an active 
cooperation between Member States is crucial.

Objectives
The HA on online market surveillance essentially 
aimed at:
• exchanging best practices between 

participating	MSAs;

•		developing	a	specific	case	study	based	on	text-

mining	technology;

• identifying the main challenges faced when 

performing online market surveillance.

Process
Development of a proof of 
concept	applied	to	a	specific	
context	(predefined	list	of	
products sold by an online 
retailer) as a joint learning 
experience and sharing lessons 
learned in the form of a video 
series. 

Outcomes
1. Proof of concept of an AI/text 

mining	tool;

2. Algorithm and methodology 

developed for micro 
simulation;

3. Discussion of challenges 

faced when performing online 
market surveillance (see the 
knowledge sharing activity).

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A  summary  of  main  activities  and  outcomes  of  the 
CASP 2019 OMS activity are depicted in Figure 26. More 
details	can	be	found	in	the	OMS	activity’s	final	report.

Figure 26 – Activities performed in CASP 2019 OMS

Scoping	of	the	micro-simulation

The	datasets	used	for	the	micro-simulation	were	as	follows:

•   Safety Gate/RAPEX dataset of incidents (toys category).

	-	Extracted	from	the	RAPEX	database		(RAPEX		database).

•   Publicly available online product reviews.

8

Conclusions

•	 The	use	of	‘smoke	words’	and	the	TF-IDF	algorithm	are	effective	
techniques	for	the	identification	of	potentially	dangerous	products	
sold online.

•  Human expert support is needed to select the most suitable smoke 

words,	based	on	their	significance	for	safety	related	issues.

•  Human  expert  support  is  needed  to  review  the  list  of  products 
identified	 by	 the	 algorithm	 as	 being	 potentially	 dangerous	 and	
select those products that require further investigation by MSAs. 

Execution	of	the	micro-simulation

1.  Extract list of smoke words by analysing the RAPEX dataset, award 

a relative weight to each of the smoke words per risk type.

2.  Detect the smoke words in the review text.

3.  Rank product reviews by number and weight of the smoke words 

found.

4.  Evaluate  the  safety  issues  mentioned  (or  not)  in  the  top  ranked 

product reviews and the ranking method. 

5.	 Refine	 the	 smoke	 words	 given	 in	 the	 evaluation,	 removing	 non-

informative words.

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3.7 Knowledge sharing

The  purpose  of  the  HA  on  knowledge  sharing  was  to 
identify  the  best  practices  in  market  surveillance  with 
regard  to  product  safety  issues  developed  by  the 
participating MSAs, and to share valuable experience in 
order to provide a relevant lesson and an opportunity for 
dialogue and joint collaboration. 

Figure 27 – Context, objectives, process and outcomes of the activity

Context
All MSAs across the EU (and EEA/
EFTA countries) are confronted with 
similar dangers and challenges. 
It makes, therefore, perfect sense 
for the MSAs to champion the 
initiatives and projects that have 
demonstrated superior added-value 
and	efficiency.	

Objectives
The	specific	objective	of	the	HA	
on knowledge sharing was to 
showcase two initiatives to all 
participating MSAs. It aimed at 
providing an opportunity to discuss 
and	analyse	the	practical	benefits	
of these initiatives.

Process
The HA put two initiatives in the spotlight:
•  In Warsaw (Poland), an initiative on the 

cooperation between MSAs and customs 
authorities;

•  In Helsinki (Finland) the participating MSAs 
had the ability to learn from a successful 
communication campaign ‘At your own 
risk’ and a number of case studies on 
the use of data mining and other digital 
techniques to support their work.

Outcomes
•  Lively Q&A sessions with initiative 

owners;

•  Discussions on challenges and success 

factors;

•  Overview of digitalisation initiatives in 

the	area	of	market	surveillance;

•  Debriefs on national practices.

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Two study visits were organised in very close collaboration 
with the host MSAs (and subject to approval from the EC).

The	 Office	 of	 Competition	 and	 Consumer	 Protection	
of  Poland  (UOKiK),  together  with  the  Customs  Service 

(Ministry of Finance of Poland), organised and hosted a 
two-day study visit in cooperation with the project team 
and  the  experts.  It  took  place  on  10–11  September 
2019.

Best practices used by customs and/or UOKiK

Figure 28 – Warsaw study visit

•	 Establishing	a	network	of	MSA	contact	points	who	exchange	opinions	or	can	be	consulted	by	customs	officers;
•	 Developing	or	adapting	existing	checklists	for	the	detection	of	unsafe	products;
•	 Ensuring	a	mutual	exchange	of	data	on	certain	importers	or	suspicious	product	groups	(if	needed);
•  Conducting joint projects — planned at an international (such as participation in customs cooperation linked with the 

Visegrád	Group	or	the	Baltic	Sea	Countries	Group)	or	central	level	(timing,	scope,	subject,	risks);

•  Organising joint training courses/workshops at a regional or central level (at least once a year — e.g. how to recognise 

dangerous	products);

8

•	 Granting	customs	authorities	access	to	the	RAPEX	system	(review);
• 

Inviting  customs  authorities  to  participate  in  the  Market  Surveillance  Steering  Committee  meetings  (coordination  at 
central level).

Visit to LS Airport Services handling agent and customs premises

Visit to the cargo area of LS Airport Services 
Participants were provided with insights into the handling of goods and customs’ declarations, the process of selection 
regarding the examination of goods, and the cooperation between customs and several MSAs in Poland. 

Presentation by representatives of DHL Express
A presentation was provided by representatives of DHL Express Poland about the overall parcel delivery processes run by 
the	company	and	how	potentially	non-compliant	products	were	detected.

The  Finnish  MSA  (Tukes)  volunteered  to  host  a  study 
visit  related  to  the  ‘The  use  of  information  and 
communications technology (ICT) techniques in market 

surveillance’,  and  it  was  organised  for  8–9  January 
2020. 

Figure 29 – Helsinki study visit

A  Finnish  communication  campaign  ‘At  your  own  risk’  focused  on  making  citizens  aware  of  the 
consequences of buying a product from online stores outside the EU.

Several best practices presented by MSAs showed how data mining can support product safety in 
a	market	surveillance	context:	use	of	data	mining	for	the	identification	of	new	or	trendy	products	
offered	online	(Nettidogi	project),	non-compliant	energy	labelling	of	electronic	products	sold	online	
(NordCrawl2	project);	detection	of	certain	products	linked	with	occupational	health	and	safety	based	
on customer reviews available on online platforms.

A web crawler project owned by the EC aimed at detecting products that have been included on 
the	RAPEX	database	for	safety	reasons	but	are	still	offered	on	online	webstores.

The use of blockchain as a distributed ledger technology, ensuring traceability along a supply chain 
and	 facilitating	 information	 exchange	 and	 data	 collection/sharing	 in	 a	 cost	 effective	 way	 among	
many supply chain participants with various existing IT systems.

A  brainstorming  session  on  AI	 and	 other	 ICT	 techniques	 that	 offer	 practical	 and	 novel	 solutions	 to	
authorities´	 recurrent	 challenges,	 enabling	 the	 effective	 and	 efficient	 screening	 of	 a	 large	 volume	 of	
product safety data.

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3.8 Risk assessment

MS  consistently  use  a  recognised  common  set  of 
guidelines  for  performing  RA  –  the  Risk  Assessment 
Guidelines1  and  the  supporting  RAG  tool2  –  that  have 
been  made  available  by  the  European  Commission. 
Differences	 in	 the	 outcomes	 of	 RA	 activities	 and	 daily	
practices  among  MS  may  however  still  occur  due  to 
the	specific	context	in	which	 each	MSA	operates,	such	
as the conditions of its national market or the relevant 
legislation,	 which	 can	 lead	 to	 different	 interpretations	
and applications of the common principles. 

Figure 30 - Context, objectives, process and outcomes of the activity

In	 order	 for	 MSAs	 to	 take	 effective	 measures	 and	 to	
do  so  consistently  across  the  EU,  they  need  to  align 
their  understanding  and  use  of  risk  scenarios  (both 
already  available  in  the  RAG  tool  or  developed  ad-
hoc  by  MSAs)  and  their  estimation  of  risk  levels.  This 
directly	 influences	 decisions	 regarding	 the	 necessary	
remediation measures to be taken. 

Context
The safety of products within the 
European Single Market requires the 
MSAs to be able to identify, assess and 
qualify the actual risks for consumers 
in a consistent way across the whole 
of the EU.  

Process
Participating MSAs worked in groups 
to develop and test scenarios. Joint 
discussions regarding the existing risk 
assessment tools developed by the 
European Commission (RAG and RAPEX), 
as well as on probabilities, statistics and 
benchmarks, highlighted improvement 
areas for increasing their usability and 
the consistency of their application.

Objectives
The HA on risk assessment aimed at 
exchanging ideas and best practices 
on the detection of risks and adequate 
prevention measures. 

Outcomes
•  Scenarios used for risk assessment 

of the product types selected for the 
scope of the 5 CASP 2019 PSA and 
made	publicly	available	(RAG	tool);

•  Feedback on the current context 
of risk assessment together with 
suggestions for improvements.

1 Risk assessment guidelines for consumer products (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec/2019/417/oj#ntr41-L_2019073EN.01012401-E0041)
2 https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/consumer-safety/rag/#/screen/home

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As the RA HA is interlinked with the product testing plans 
developed  for  the  CASP  2019  PSAs,  a  collaborative 
approach  was  needed  to  develop  the  requested  tools 
and maximise synergies between activities. An overview 
of this approach can be found below. It should be noted 

Figure 31 - Overview of the RA approach in CASP 2019

Development of Checklist

Development of scenario

•  MSAs identify potential 

hazards that are linked to 
clauses of a standard.

•  A scenario is produced for 
each of the top-ranked 
hazards.

•  A ranking is formed based on 

prioritisation of hazards.

8

•  The developed scenarios 

circulate among all 
participants for validation.

that  a  distinction  was  made  between  RA  activities  as 
part of the PSAs (to develop the deployment tools) and 
the main activities of this HA.

Conclusions after 
laboratory meetings

Upload of scenarios to  
RAG tool 

•  Discussion of the feedback 
received from the MSAs 
involved in the PSA lab 
meetings regarding the 
usability and usefulness of 
the RA templates.

•  All scenarios developed during 
this activity are uploaded in the 
RAG tool.

Validation of templates
•  The developed checklists 

and scenarios are reviewed/
validated by the PSA expert.

Training webinar

Laboratory meeting

•  Discuss purpose of RA 

•  A limited number of 

templates.

•  Prepare PSA participants to 
perform RAs during the lab 
meeting.

scenarios are tested in 
practice on a few samples to 
evaluate the applicability in a 
real-life situation.

Final revision of 
templates

•  Scenarios are further 

finetuned	and	redrafted	
following the feedback 
received during the lab 
meetings.

RA activity part of the HA

RA activity part of the PSA

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4.	Communication	activities	

A  number  of  communication  tools  were  produced  and 
delivered	to	all	participating	MSA	via	the	Confluence	wiki	
(see Annex 2):

The  network  agencies  also  disseminated  in  their 
respective MS a press kit including a press release and 
all the communication tools. 

After	compiling	the	articles	identified	in	all	the	MS,	the	
media  coverage  comprised  271  articles  from  the  web 
and  printed  or  AV  media.  Some  TV  shows  announced 
that they will report on CASP in the coming months (e.g. 
in Germany and Malta).

Considering the pandemic with a stronger media focus 
on  Covid-related  issues  and  the  conversion  of  the 
closing event into a virtual event, this is considered to 
be a very good result, 

•  making  the  CASP  2019  known  to  a  wide,  European 

audience, 

•  demonstrating its added-value for market surveillance 

authorities, stakeholders and consumers and 
•  paving the way for future coordinated activities.

The	identified	articles	are	listed	in	the	media	coverage	
report provided in Annex 3 (separate Annex).

•  On the the CASP 2019 activities in general1:

-		 one	video	clip	(in	English)
-		 one	flyer	(in	the	22	official	EU	languages)	

•  Specific for the 5 product activities2:
-		 five	video	clips	(in	the	22	official	EU	

languages)

-		 five	product	fact	sheets	(in	the	22	official	

EU languages)

•  Specific  material  for  use  in  social  media 
(Twitter/Facebook) and blogposts (in all 22 
official EU languages)

A media Closing event for the CASP 2019 project was 
planned  to  be  held  in  Brussels  for  March  2020,  to 
showcase	the	final	conclusions	and	results	of	the	testing	
campaigns,	 together	 with	 the	 official	 presentation	 of	
the 2019 results of the Safety Gate/Rapid Alert System 
and  its  annual  report.  However,  due  to  the  Covid-19 
environment, it was replaced by a virtual closing event 
on 7 July 2020. 

Media	 and	 stakeholders	 –	 identified	 by	 the	 EURACSIS	
network  agencies  in  all  the  EU  MS  –  were  invited  to 
participate	 in	 the	 different	 sessions	 via	 the	 dedicated	
CASP  2019  Closing  event  webpage, 
that  also 
included  a  press  conference  by  Mr  Didier  Reynders,  
EU Commissioner for Justice and Consumers. 

1   https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/consumers_safety/safety_products/rapex/alerts/?event=casp:2019&lng=en  
2  SFT: https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/consumers_safety/safety_products/rapex/alerts/?event=casp:sft&lng=en
  Batteries: https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/consumers_safety/safety_products/rapex/alerts/?event=casp:batteries&lng=en
  Chargers: https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/consumers_safety/safety_products/rapex/alerts/?event=casp:chargers&lng=en
  CBS: https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/consumers_safety/safety_products/rapex/alerts/?event=casp:cbs&lng=en
  PTD: https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/consumers_safety/safety_products/rapex/alerts/?event=casp:persTrans&lng=en

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5. Conclusions and recommendations

The insights generated during this coordinated activity 
were also captured in a set of communication materials 
aimed at raising consumer awareness and providing tips 
for the purchase and safe use of the products within the 
scope  of  the  project.  Also,  important  insights  relevant 
to standardisation bodies and economic operators were 
discussed, and provide a base for further dialogue with 
key stakeholders for improving the safety of products. 

5.1 General conclusions

CASP	2019	was	the	first	coordinated	activity	developed	
under  a  new  contractual  framework.  The  Contractor 
collected a series of ‘lessons learned’ that future CASP 
activities	could	benefit	 from.	 All	project	meetings	with	
the MSAs were thoroughly documented, with a particular 
focus  on  the  feedback  received  from  the  participants 
regarding their experience during the activities. Certain 
findings	are	specific	to	each	activity	and	were	captured	
in	their	respective	final	reports,	while	others	are	relevant	
to all activities developed during the project.  

The  coordinated  activities  created  the  opportunity  for 
participants to expand the MSAs’ knowledge regarding 
the products and the testing methods, as well as to 
exchange experiences regarding the use of test results 
for developing RAs and taking corrective measures. 
By participating in CASP 2019, the MSAs contributed to 
the  development  of  common  methods  and  practices 
aimed at ensuring a consistent treatment of defective 
products across the EU MS in order to confer a similar 
level of protection to all European consumers. 

#EUCASP2019#EUCASP2019CASP 2019 - Final ReportCASP 2019 - Final Report#EUCASP2019 
3333

5.2 Recommendations

Recommendations for consumers
The participating MSAs in this activity discussed the best 
way  to  inform  consumers  about  the  most  commonly 
identified	safety	risks	related	to	the	product	categories	
analysed  in  CASP  2019.  This  resulted  in  the  product 
specific	recommendations	presented	briefly	below.

Soft-filled toys
•  Parents  and  carers  should  check  the  recommended 
age  on  the  packaging  and  choose  age  appropriate 
toys.

•	 Parents	 and	 carers	 should	 not	 buy	 soft	 toys	 that	
have small detachable parts or have exposed battery 
compartments for babies and very young children.

Batteries
•  Consumers  should  avoid  charging  devices  in  places 
that  can  get  overheated,  such  as  in  direct  sunlight, 
next to a heater or in a pocket or bag.
If the battery is damaged, consumers should discard 
it immediately and safely.

• 

•  Consumers  should  always  use  the  recommended 

battery for each device. 

•  Consumers  should  buy  quality  batteries,  otherwise 

safety risks may be higher. 

Chargers
•  Consumers  should  avoid  using  chargers  in  direct 
sunlight or on hot surfaces. To avoid overheating, no 
more  than  one  charger  should  be  plugged  into  one 
electrical cable. 

•  Chargers  can  become  dangerous  if  damaged.  If 
users  notice  that  the  charger  is  cracked,  the  wires 
are broken or the charger is constantly overheating, 
they should stop using the charger and dispose of it 
safely. 

Personal transport devices 
•	 Accidents	often	happen	because	users	don’t	read	the	
instructions carefully. Consumers should check if the 
safety  features,  such  as  the  lights  and  brakes,  are 
fully  operational  and  observe  any  potential  weight 
restrictions before using a personal transport device. 
•  Consumers  should  exercise  care  when  travelling  in 
the	rain;	if	the	electric	system	gets	wet	there	is	a	risk	
of sudden electrical failure. 

•  When charging the device, consumers should verify 
that the output voltage of the charger matches the 
input required. If a new charger needs to be bought, 
make sure the replacement is recommended by the 
manufacturer. A device that is being charged should 
not	be	left	unattended,	especially	overnight.

Child bicycle seats
•  When  purchasing  a  child  bicycle  seat,  consumers 
should  check  the  weight  and  height  of  the  child  to 
make sure the seat is the correct size. 

•  Every time the seat is used, parents and carers should 
check that the seat is safely installed, and that the 
child is safely restrained.

•  Consumers should always follow the manufacturer’s 
instructions  carefully  to  correctly  install  the  seat. 
Parents and carers should verify that the child seat 
is suitable for the bike used and make sure that it is 
correctly positioned and secured.

•  Parents  and  carers  should  regularly  check  the 
condition of the seat, as outdoor storage and regular 
use can result in additional hazards. 

•  Parents and carers should be aware of sharp edges 

and small holes the child can access.

#EUCASP2019#EUCASP2019CASP 2019 - Final ReportCASP 2019 - Final ReportCASP 2019 - Final ReportRecommendations for MSAs
The CASP initiatives set the stage for the MSAs to conduct 
joint  actions,  improve  their  expertise  and  harmonise 
practices.  It  is  through  MSAs’  active  involvement  and 
contributions  that  measures  are  taken  to  improve  the 
safety of European consumers on each national market. 
Given	 the	 benefits	 and	 results	 accomplished	 in	 CASP	
2019,  CASP  participants  and  non-participating  MSAs 
are  encouraged  to  join  future  coordinated  activities, 
increasing  their  impact  on  product  safety  in  the 
European Single Market.

3434

Recommendations for economic operators
•  Manufacturers and importers of products into the EU 
have  a  duty  of  care  to  make  sure  that  consumers 
are  safe.  Manufacturers  must  fully  comply  with  EU 
safety rules and include safe-use instructions as well 
as warnings of the potential risks. 

•  Manufacturers  are  advised  to  consider  the  safety 
requirements of applicable standards as well as the 
test  methods  used  for  establishing  the  compliance 
of  their  application  –  from  an  early  product  design 
stage  and  throughout  the  manufacturing  process  – 
to  ensure  the  full  compliance  of  the  products  they 
place on the market.

Recommendations for standardisation bodies
•  Safeguard  the  consumers  by  making  certain  that 
all  known  hazards  are  thoroughly  assessed  by  the 
standard(s) in place. Safety-by-design should always 
be prioritised.

•  Standardisation  technical  committees  should  be 
mindful of the gap between (non-) compliance with 
a standard and the level of product safety achieved, 
and  do  their  best  to  propose  test  methods  that 
highlight  non-compliance  issues  with  a  direct  and 
measurable safety risk.

•  Ensure  that  testing  methods  are  aligned  with 
foreseeable  uses,  so  that  any  non-compliance 
issue revealed can immediately be assessed by the 
enforcement authorities in relation to the actual risk 
level and the necessary corrective actions. 

#EUCASP2019#EUCASP2019#EUCASP2019#EUCASP2019CASP 2019 - Final Report35

6. Annexes

6.1 Annex 1 – List of participating MSAs

Country 
Flag

Country 
Code

AT

BE

BE

BG

CY

CZ

DE

DE

DE

DE

DE

DK

EL

FI

FR 

HR

HU

IS

LT

LU

LV

MT

Country

Austria

Belgium

Belgium

Bulgaria

Cyprus

MSA

Bundesministerium	für	Soziales,	Gesundheit,	Pflege	und	Konsumentenschutz

SPF Santé publique, Sécurité de la chaîne alimentaire et Environnement -  
FOD Volksgezondheid, Veiligheid van de Voedselketen & Leefmilieu

FOD Economie - SPF Economie 

Държавна	агенция	за	метрологичен	и	технически	надзор	(ДАМТН)

Υπουργείο	Ενέργειας,	Εμπορίου	και	Βιομηχανίας

Czech Republic

Česká	obchodní	inspekce

Germany

Germany

Germany

Germany

Germany

Denmark

Greece

Finland

France 

Croatia

Hungary

Iceland

Lithuania

Regierung von Oberbayern - Gewerbeaufsichtsamt 

Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Umwelt und Verbraucherschutz

Ministerium	für	Umwelt,	Klima	und	Energiewirtschaft	Baden-Württemberg

Bezirksregiering Düsseldorf

Gewerbeaufsicht des Landes Bremen

Sikkerhedsstyrelsen

Γενική	Γραμματεία	Βιομηχανίας

Turvallisuus- ja kemikaalivirasto (Tukes)

Direction générale de la concurrence, de la consommation et de la répression des 
fraudes (DGCCRF)

Ministarstvo	Gospodarstva	i	Održivog	Razvoja

Innovációs	és	Technológiai	Minisztérium

Neytendastofa

Valstybinė	vartotojų	teisių	apsaugos	tarnyba

Luxembourg

Surveillance du marché (ILNAS)

Latvia

Malta

Patērētāju	tiesību	aizsardzības	centrs

Malta	Competition	and	Consumer	Affairs	Authority

NO 

Norway 

Direktoratet for samfunnssikkerhet og beredskap/Direktoratet for samfunnstryggleik 
og beredskap  (DSB)

PL

PT

RO

SE 

SI

SK

Poland

Portugal

Romania

Sweden 

Slovenia

Slovakia

Urząd	Ochrony	Konkurencji	i	Konsumentów

Direção-Geral do Consumidor

Autoritatea Nationala pentru Protectia Consumatorilor (ANPC)

Kemikalieinspektionen (KEMI)/Strålsäkerhetsmyndigheten/Konsumentverket/
Elsäkerhetsverket

Tržni	inšpektorat

Slovenská	Obchodná	Inšpekcia

CASP 2019 - Final Report#EUCASP2019#EUCASP2019#EUCASP2019CASP 2019 - Final Report 
 
3636 CASP	2019	-	Final	Report
3636

6.2 Annex 2 – Information kit for media and stakeholders

Generic	tools	-	for	the	CASP	activity	in	general

format

languages available

Press Release CASP 2019 & Rapid Alert System          

150 sec. Generic video clip CASP 2019

Generic flyer CASP 2019           

pdf

mp4

pdf

22 languages

EN

22 languages

Specific	tools	-	for	each	tested	product

format

Soft-filled	Toys

Batteries

Chargers

CASP 2019 Product activity reports 

30 sec. video clip (one per product)

Product activity factsheets (one per product) 

pdf

mp4

pdf

EN/FR/DE

EN/FR/DE

EN/FR/DE

22 languages

22 languages

22 languages

22 languages

22 languages

22 languages

Specific	tools	-	for	each	tested	product

format

Child Bicycle 
Seats

Personal  
Transporters

CASP 2019 Product activity reports 

30 sec. video clip (one per product)

Product activity factsheets (one per product) 

pdf

mp4

pdf

EN/FR/DE

EN/FR/DE

22 languages

22 languages

22 languages

22 languages

Specific	tools	-	for	each	horizontal	activity

format

Online market 
surveillance

Risk 
assessment

Knowledge 
sharing

CASP 2019  Horizontal activity report 

pdf

EN/FR/DE

EN/FR/DE

EN/FR/DE

Specific	material	for	social	media	(Twitter/Facebook)	and	blogposts

Elements for social media (Twitter/FB) and blogposts 

Source images (all copyrights cleared)

Images mounting ready-to-use

format

pdf

jpeg

jpeg

22 languages

22 languages

22 languages

-

-

-

-

-

-

#EUCASP2019#EUCASP2019#EUCASP2019#EUCASP2019CASP 2019 - Final ReportCASP	2019	-	Final	Report

EUROPEAN COMMISSION 
Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers 
Directorate Consumers 
Unit	E.4	Product	Safety	and	Rapid	Alert	System	
E-mail: JUST-RAPEX@ec.europa.eu

Manuscript completed in September 2020 

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Luxembourg:	Publications	Office	of	the	European	Union,	2020
PDF	

ISBN	978-92-76-21567-7		doi:10.2838/45650	 DS-02-20-662-EN-N

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#EUCASP2019#EUCASP2019CASP 2019 - Final Report