The revised 2016 version of the Blue Guide on the implementation of EU product legislation was approved this month and can be found on the EU Commission’s website here.
The Guide, which covers all non-food and non-agricultural products for use by consumers or
professionals, provides guidance on the implementation of legislation based on the New Legislative Framework.
First published in 2000 and updated in 2014, the new version builds on those past editions but
includes chapters covering the obligations of manufacturers, importers and distributors/retailers and has substantially revised chapters covering market standardisation and market surveillance.
The Blue Guide aims to explain the different elements of the New Legislative Framework in detail and to help actors in the product supply chain to understand the system so that legislation is implemented properly and is therefore effective in protecting consumer health and safety and the environment, as well as providing a level playing field for economic operators.
Electrical Safety First welcomes the new Blue Guide as it is an excellent source of reference for the authorities and particularly for economic operators to help them understand their legal obligations in bringing only safe products to the market. The Charity has actively engaged with the European Commission to ensure that consumer electrical safety concerns were taken into account.