• Message from the ANEC President
• Key Events 2011
• 2011/2010 Results of R&T Projects

• Child Safety
• Design for All
• Domestic Appliance
• Environment
• Chemicals
• Information Society
• Innovation
• Services
• Traffic

"Although the Regulation will be essential in helping ANEC in its mission, we must be pragmatic and recognise that the financial crisis places a long-term limitation on the public funding we can expect. Hence our Strategy for 2014 to 2020 must move us to focus on those areas of consumer need that are of high priority and where we can achieve the most influence, and stress that the funding we receive is not a cost, but an essential investment in the increased protection and welfare of all consumers which could not be delivered otherwise."

Links
• The ANEC Annual Report 2010
• The Draft Standardisation Regulation
• The EP Resolution of 21 October 2010

Welcome to the ANEC Review of 2011, a departure from our traditional Annual Report. It aims to capture as big an audience as possible through the use of accessible web technologies, while providing readers with the option of a printed version. We hope you enjoy it.

Twelve months ago, we reflected on the publication of the Kozusnik Report on the Future of European Standardisation, and adoption of the Parliament's Resolution of 21 October 2010. These anticipated the Standardisation Regulation, proposed by the Commission on 1 June 2011.

ANEC has found much to applaud in the proposal. It acknowledges the importance of a sustained political and financial framework at the European level to support the participation of consumers and other societal stakeholders in European Standardisation. Moreover, it recognises such participation as complementing national delegations to CEN & CENELEC, so helping to ensure the market relevance of European Standards. Indeed, much of this understanding has come about through careful persuasion by ANEC at the highest levels of the Institutions. Furthermore, the proposal sets out to strengthen the positioning of the societal stakeholders within the European Standardisation Organisations themselves. As I write, the draft Regulation is being considered by the Council and Parliament and I trust I shall be able to report on its adoption in the next Annual Review.

Although the Regulation will be essential in helping ANEC in its mission, we must be pragmatic and recognise that the financial crisis places a long-term limitation on the public funding we can expect. Hence our Strategy for 2014 to 2020 must move us to focus on those areas of consumer need that are of high priority and where we can achieve the most influence, and stress that the funding we receive is not a cost, but an essential investment in the increased protection and welfare of all consumers which could not be delivered otherwise.

But that is for the future. 2011 was the European Year of Volunteering and provided us with reason to remind the Institutions that the success of ANEC is dependent upon its volunteer experts. I must thank them unreservedly here. So too must I thank our members in undertaking their roles for ANEC at the national level, and last (but not least) to the ANEC Secretariat team in providing a centre of excellence at the hub of the association.

The first meeting of the ANEC General Assembly, appointed for the 2011 to 2014 term, was held in Brussels on 1 June. In welcoming members, Prof Dr Lothar Maier, the retiring President, noted 11 new individuals were present from the 26 countries attending. He believed this to represent the dynamism of the consumer movement and said it augured well for development of the ANEC Strategy 2014 to 2020. Members thanked Dr Maier, also retiring as the German member of the General Assembly, not only for his four years as President, but also his role in helping to establish ANEC in the 1990s. Mr Finn Aas, who was retiring as the Norwegian member of the General Assembly and representative of the EFTA Consumers' Consultative Committee, was also honoured.

In succession to Dr Maier, members elected Arnold Pindar (UK) President. Conchy Martin Rey (Spain) was elected Vice-President, while Benedicte Federspiel (Denmark) was elected Treasurer.

ANEC has worked for many years to achieve the deletion of the 'Exclusion Clause' from the EN 60335 series of European standards for domestic electrical appliances. This clause does not foresee the safe use of appliances by vulnerable consumers (children, elderly people and people with disabilities) unless under "supervision or instruction".

ANEC Secretary-General, Stephen Russell, stressed in a presentation to a CECED workshop in March that warnings and information cannot be substitutes for safe design. He also called for further cuts in surface temperature limits, as well as the introduction of food safety and hygiene requirements.

Reporting to the ISO/COPOLCO meeting in May, he asked for the support of COPOLCO to encourage IEC to revise the parent IEC 60335 standards "so that consumers from around the world can benefit from the improvements we have won at the European level". At the ICPHSO International Symposium in November, he repeated the ANEC view that there can be no divisions of safety, nor should there be 'hierarchies' of safety, in international standards, such as the IEC 60335 series.

Links
• ANEC Presentation at CECED
• ANEC Position Paper "Using consumer appliances in Europe -the consumer view

The General Assembly meeting in 2008 agreed ANEC should champion the importance of creating a European framework for market surveillance & enforcement activities. Without effective enforcement, even the best legislation and best technical standards are worthless. Hence we welcomed the Resolution of the European Parliament which followed an initiative report on the revision of the General Product Safety Directive and market surveillance.

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Without effective enforcement, even the best legislation and best technical standards are worthless.
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The Resolution calls for the establishment of a common European framework for market surveillance, and calls on the Commission to play a more active role in coordinating the activities of the national market surveillance authorities and customs authorities. We trust this further strengthening of market surveillance will be reflected not only in the forthcoming revision of the GPSD, but also in the EU Consumer Programme 2014 to 2020.

Links
• EP Resolution on the revision of the GPSD and Market Surveillance

To mark International Consumers' Day and the European Year of Volunteering, ANEC thanked volunteer experts in a press release issued on 15 March. Our volunteer experts face daily the challenge of defending consumer interests in standardisation, and their work in shaping European standards has led to higher levels of consumer protection and welfare. ANEC Secretary-General, Stephen Russell, took the opportunity to thank our volunteers for their hard work and commitment, as the battle for improved consumer protection within Europe could not be fought without them.

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Our volunteer experts face daily the challenge of defending consumer interests in standardisation, and their work in shaping European standards has led to higher levels of consumer protection and welfare.

Stephen Russell, ANEC Secretary General
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Links
• ANEC Press Release "Putting our volunteers in the spotlight

Requirements for child finger entrapment in European safety standards

Static finger entrapment is covered in most relevant European standards along with moving (dynamic) entrapment. The requirements for static finger entrapment are based on anthropometric data. An ANEC trial showed 3D scanning is a useful technology to produce accurate data on the effects of dynamic entrapment on finger size and shape.

The trial demonstrated that the depth of the fleshy part of the fingertip under compression will be far less than the depth or diameter of the joint, currently used to set requirements. The study notes that the current requirement for moving parts (in EN 13387:2004) of 12mm will not protect the fleshy part of the finger, and recommends that the minimum requirement for moving parts should be less than 5 mm.

Evaluation of human toxicity impact assessment models in Life Cycle Assessments

An ANEC study is investigating the LCA impact assessment category of human toxicity and reviewing the model from a more traditional toxicological perspective. The study complements earlier research and is expected to reinforce our position that LCA cannot replace other instruments used previously in environmental policy-making and ecolabelling in particular.

Can consumers trust website accessibility declarations?

According to our study, only 3 out of 76 websites certified by a third-party were found to be accessible, while none of 24 commercial websites that had selfdeclared was accessible. ANEC will use the results in work on the standardisation of web accessibility in order to achieve benefits for all consumers.

Links
• ANEC Study
• ANEC Press Release "Can consumers trust website accessibility declarations?"

Acoustics in toy safety

The principal European Standards on toy safety - the EN 71 series – do not offer adequate protection from hearing impairment as they lack requirements for continuous noise emitted by all toys. ANEC intends to influence the revision of the standards, necessitated by changed limits in the new Toy Safety Directive (2009/48/EC), in line with the results of a study demonstrating the scientific background to its concerns.

Building sustainable solutions

The purpose of the ANEC study was to develop a set of environmental indicators, and corresponding minimum and excellence criteria, primarily for new residential buildings. The scope included provision of information to consumers on ways to achieve energy savings. As a result of the study, we have called for a broad debate on more stringent sustainability measures in the construction area.

Links
• ANEC Study
• ANEC Press Release "CEN sustainable building standards prevent sustainable solutions"

Easing the use of appliances

Although technology is improving access to many products, it still falls short of enabling increased independence for disabled and older people. The ANEC study identified data indicating the forces and grip strengths needed by various groups of people to operate appliances. The data will contribute to the further development of standards on domestic appliances.

Links
• ANEC Study

ANEC welcomed the publication of the new toy safety standard EN 71-1:2011 'Safety of toys - Part 1: Mechanical and physical properties', which replaces EN 71-1:2005. It is the first European Standard to reflect the provisions of the new Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC, which became applicable on 20 July 2011.

ANEC was successful in influencing the mechanical requirements of toys in the new legislation and participated in the revision of the standard. For instance, ANEC has ensured textile toys for children under three years must now be able to be cleaned or washed without their safety being compromised. Requirements to prevent children from choking or drowning have also been improved.

Despite the numerous improvements in the new standard, longer cords on certain toys are now allowed. In our opinion, this will increase the strangulation risk posed to children aged between 18-36 months. Some challenges remain. Further noise requirements are under elaboration in order to protect children's hearing. In addition, as many warnings on toys are very small, not easy to find or easily legible, better requirements for the presentation of warnings are also being developed. ANEC is taking part in this standardisation work.

Links
• ANEC Press Release: "Christmas this year should be that bit safer for children"
• ANEC-PR-2011-PRL-015 + annex

Other stories

A Commission Decision and referencing of EN 14682:2007, on cords and drawstrings on children's clothing was published in the OJEU on 29 March. This standard was developed following a request from ANEC and is one of our main achievements in the child safety area. In order to prevent children falling from windows, CEN adopted EN 13126-5 for integrated window locking devices in 2011, and submitted draft standard prEN 16281 for consumer fitted window locking devices to public comment. Both standardisation activities were initiated following research conducted by ANEC on child protective products.

Links
• The Commission Decision 2011/196/EU

In 2011, ANEC welcomed the approval of two new ISO standards on access to the built environment. ISO 21542 "Accessibility & usability of the built environment" aims at creating a sustainable built environment that is accessible. Its purpose is to define how the built environment should be designed, constructed and managed in order for people to approach, enter, use, leave and evacuate a building independently, irrespective of their ages or abilities. ANEC was pleased to contribute to the standard.

ANEC also worked on ISO 23599 'Assistive products for blind & vision impaired persons — Tactile walking surface indicators' (TWSIs). The standardisation of TWSIs is needed to ensure one indicator indicates the same obstacle or impediment around the world. Both ISO standards can benefit countries, particularly developing countries, where few accessibility standards exist and where there is little guidance or regulation on TWSIs. Within Europe, we believe ISO 21542 could be the basis for a European Technical Specification that would also take into account some established standards in European countries. Indeed, we made such a proposal in our response to Phase 1 of Mandate M/420 on the creation of an inventory of standards and other technical documents that facilitate access to the built environment, a task led by ANEC. Phase 2 will use the inventory in the identification of the European standards that need to be developed.

On 20 December, the European Commission published a proposal for the revision of the Public Procurement directives. Compared with the present directives, the proposal aims at certain technical specifications taking into account accessibility criteria for people with disabilities. We welcome this response from the Commission, as it builds on the intent of the work under Mandate M/420, and is in accord with our vision to see all products and services accessible to consumers of all ages and abilities.

Although European standards do define food safety & hygiene requirements for commercial catering appliances, no such requirements are set for household electrical appliances. An ANEC proposal to introduce food safety & hygiene aspects in standards for electrical household appliances was discussed by CENELEC in June 2011. A revision of EN 60335-2-24 "Household and similar electrical appliances - Safety - Part 2-24: Particular requirements for refrigerating appliances, ice-cream appliances and ice makers" will serve as the model for the inclusion of food & hygiene aspects in the European standards for other appliances. The work was initiated by ANEC as a result of a research project.

The ANEC concerns have been supported by Member States, especially following the deaths of several babies in Cyprus due to hygiene problems with humidifiers, as well as problems with surface-cleaning appliances.

In 2011, ANEC ensured the safety of fairground equipment returned to the political agenda.

Fairground equipment is not covered by the revised Machinery Directive and the General Product Safety Directive provides insufficient provisions. Articles in the Parliament Magazine led to a meeting between ANEC and IAAPA (the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions) to establish channels of communication and to discuss common aims. ISO also established a new Technical Committee, TC 254 "Safety of attractions".

In October 2011, ANEC called on the European Commission to develop a Green Paper on sustainable construction. Although CEN is developing a series of standards for sustainable buildings, through TC 350, we have been long-time critics of the approach and disagree profoundly with the methodologies used. We believe the solutions will be expensive to implement and hold little value for consumers.

ANEC proposes an alternative approach, based on a study commissioned from the Austrian Institute of Healthy and Ecological Building (IBO). It uses a mix of different instruments, both quantitative and qualitative in nature. It includes energy consumption during the use stage of the building, as well as taking into account the embedded energy in construction products, together with requirements for chemicals and releases to indoor air, construction site and endof- life requirements.

In support of our proposal, we issued a position paper detailing a critique of the CEN approach, with a particular focus on the environmental and health aspects, and the limitations of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Environmental Product Declaration (EPD).

Links
• ANEC Study "Environmental and health related criteria for buildings"
• ANEC Position Paper "Sustainable construction-a building site without end. Alternative to flawed standards"

The current European regulatory framework for consumer products does not ensure a sufficient level of protection against exposure to dangerous chemicals. Relevant provisions in EU legislation are patchy or missing.

A horizontal approach including a new legislative framework may be needed. The conference 'How to eliminate hazardous chemicals from consumer articles', organised by ANEC with the ASI Consumer Council & BEUC on 5 October, succeeded in initiating a well-attended and high-level debate.

At the moment, there is little regulation of these chemicals at European level, be it in childcare articles, electrical and electronic equipment or construction products. The regulations that do exist are vague or have so many exemptions that the result is the same: consumers continue to be exposed to hazardous chemicals in everyday articles.

During the conference, different perspectives on the use of hazardous chemicals were presented. The debate further addressed gaps present in the current regulatory framework related to chemicals in consumer products. It finally discussed possible ways forward to ensure a high level of consumer and environmental protection against exposure to dangerous chemicals.

As a result, ANEC confirms its call to the EU to wake up to the ticking bomb of hazardous chemicals in consumer products. It is now urgent to address the gaps in existing product legislation, and adopt a coherent horizontal approach to chemicals in products, in order to ensure the high level protection that consumers deserve.

Links
• ANEC Press Release: The ticking bomb of hazardous chemicals in consumer products Conference on "How to eliminate hazardous chemicals from consumer articles"- 5 OCTOBER 2011

In answer to ANEC's campaign, "Pump down the volume!", safety requirements for Personal Music Players are now included in European Standards (EN 60065:2002/ A12:2011 "Audio, video and similar electronic apparatus - Safety requirements" and EN 60950-1:2006/A12:2011 "Information technology equipment - Safety -- Part 1: General requirements").

Since 2009, we have worked to achieve the maximum sound levels permitted
in PMPs to be limited to safe thresholds by default. The standardised
approach is based on an average sound pressure limit of 85 dBA.This is
a level that is considered to be safe under all conditions of use.
Nevertheless, there is the possibility for a consumer to override
the limit so that the level can be increased to a maximum average
of 100 dBA. In this case, users are informed by warnings, repeated
after every 20 hours of listening time, about the risks of listening
music at such a high volume. The 85 dBA and 100 dBA limits enter into
force no later than 2012.

Listening to PMPs at high volume settings over sustained
periods can encourage permanent hearing loss.
The EU Scientific Committee on Emerging and
Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR), in
an opinion of October 2008, warned that
5-10% of users - or up to 10 million
people in the EU - could be at
risk of permanent hearing loss,
with young people a special concern.

On 18 October 2011, nearly one year after its initial proposal, the European Commission agreed to a Recommendation defining "nanomaterial" for use in future EU legislation, with the elaboration of risk assessment and measurement methods. ANEC welcomed the definition only in part. Although several aspects of the definition meet the ANEC position - such as the adoption of size distribution and special provisions for fullerenes, graphene flakes and single-wall carbon nanotubes - we believe the definition contains an important flaw.

The 1% threshold of particle number size distribution, as recommended by many scientific opinions, was abandoned in favour of a 50% threshold, despite lack of scientific justification. We understand the change was made to reflect opposition expressed during the public consultation phase to the lower threshold, especially from industry. The consequence could be that some materials, in their nano size and form, escape proper safety risk-assessment before being placed on the market.

Hence ANEC calls on legislators to make use of the options foreseen in the Recommendation in order to ensure that the legislation offers the highest levels of consumer protection practicable.

Links
• European Commission Recommendation on a definition of a nanomaterial
• ANEC Statement: "The European Commission needs to define what nanomaterials are in order to effectively protect consumers"
• ANEC Statement: "Nanomaterials: a very small step on the long and bumpy road to consumer safety"

ANEC welcomed approval of the CEN Guide, "Guidance for the development of service standards", particularly as it reflects most of the ANEC comments made during its drafting.

The CEN Guide is broader in scope than the pre-existing ISO/IEC Guide 76 "Development of service standards - Recommendations for addressing consumer issues" as it addresses business and legal aspects, as well as consumer issues. The two guides will thus co-exist and we trust both will be used by standards developers.

ANEC is pleased that the CEN Guide is addressed to all those who are interested by, or involved in, the development of service standards. We are also pleased with the fact that the Guide covers both the pre-normative phase and the normative phase; that it makes clear reference to the need to consider national legislation that may exist, and that reference is made to existing guides and standards.

However, we regret that it does not clarify how standardisation
should be approached in its interaction with existing national
laws on service provision. It should be noted that European
legislation on services is not set to follow the maximum
harmonisation used for European legislation on products.

Hence differing laws among Member States will continue
to exist, leading to variations in the quality of services
offered to European consumers.

Safer child seats on the horizon

Younger children will be better protected when travelling by car following the adoption of a new regulation on child restraint systems (CRS) by the UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe) Working Party on Passive Safety (GRSP) in December 2011.

ANEC contributed over three years to the development of the new regulation under the umbrella of Consumers International (CI). We influenced the regulation - called i-size - by ensuring that greater safety is offered to the youngest consumers through the mandatory rear-facing transport of children up to 15 months of age, and by reducing the risk of misuse through easier installation. Furthermore, i-size provides better side impact protection than the existing regulation.

ANEC urged the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations to ensure implementation of the new regulation as early as January 2013.

Links
• ANEC Press Release: "I-size: better protection of children's lives"

Other

ANEC welcomed the adoption of the European Parliament's own initiative report on European Road Safety 2011-2020, which besides numerous other measures to improve road safety, also recommends that children are kept in rearward facing restraint systems in vehicles until they are three years old.

Links
• ANEC Press Release: "When looking in reverse is farsighted"

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