Despite the negative consequences of COVID-19, standards have proven key to protecting and supporting society in an emergency situation and can do so in the new normal ahead. From face masks to respirators, and accessibility of communication, we have all learnt the importance of standards in ensuring our safety and wellbeing.

In 2019, more than 2,000 notifications of non-food products were made to the EU’s rapid alert system (Safety Gate) as failing safety requirements. Each notification may represent thousands of faulty products. Toys, motor vehicles and electrical appliances were the product groups with most notifications. The figure could well be an undercount, as many dangerous products are possibly not identified.

ANEC, the European consumer voice in standardisation, calls on UNECE WP29 to adopt the proposal for Supplement 18 to the 04 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 44 (Child Restraint Systems), endorsed by experts in its Working Party on Passive Safety (GRSP)3, following a proposal from the expert appointed by the European Commission.

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