ANEC Webinar
Join ANEC for World Consumer Rights Day 2026
On Friday, 13 March 2026 (10:30 -11:30 CET), ANEC will host a public webinar to celebrate World Consumer Rights Day 2026, focusing on how standards can help ensure safer products and more confident consumers across the European Union.
In line with this year’s theme from Consumers International, the discussion will explore the evolving EU product safety framework. As the European Product Act takes shape, alongside revisions to the Market Surveillance Regulation and the New Legislative Framework , the webinar will examine how these changes can strengthen consumer protection.
Participants will gain insight into the importance of robust safety standards and effective enforcement under the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR). ANEC will also present concrete success stories in improving standards for toys, child-care articles and household appliances, showing how consumer-focused standardisation makes a real difference.
The session will further address the challenge of products entering the EU from outside its borders, drawing on recent guidance from BEUC and highlighting the role of customs authorities.
Join ANEC’s experts and guest speakers for this timely discussion. Registrations are now open.
Lead story
ANEC on revision of the Standardisation Regulation
ANEC welcomes the forthcoming revision of Regulation (EU) 1025/2012 and confirms its support for focused amendments that strengthen, rather than re-build, the European Standardisation System. We note the factual summary of the 2025 public consultation on the revision which the European Commission (EC) made available on 10 February.
In addition, the EC has said the draft Impact Assessment will be sent to the Regulatory Scrutiny Board (RSB) by mid-May 2026 - as a package with the revisions of the NLF and Market Surveillance Regulation - with adoption of the legislative proposal(s) in Q3/2026.
For ANEC, standardisation must remain a technical tool that follows political decisions. Clearer Standardisation Requests (SReqs) are therefore needed, and the European Commission needs to retain final responsibility for ensuring harmonised standards comply with EU law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights. ANEC also calls for a permanent multidisciplinary assessment structure within the EC to replace the current HAS Consultant system.
Timely delivery of standards is important, but ANEC stresses that speeding up procedures must not weaken inclusiveness, transparency or the quality of the final deliverable. Consumer and other public-interest representation in standardisation at the national level remains limited in many countries, and hence EU (and EFTA) support for Annex III organisations continues to be essential in complementing and underpinning the national delegation principle.
ANEC also highlights that international standards used in EU legislation must reflect EU values and fundamental rights. This requires closer monitoring of international work; clearer guidance on when the development of harmonised standards - which form part of EU law after all - may be outsourced, and the greater facilitation of the participation of under-represented stakeholders in ISO or IEC processes.
Finally, ANEC insists that harmonised standards must be accessible to all potential users. Controlled read-only access, multilingual versions and machine-readable formats are needed to improve transparency and legal certainty.
Above all, ANEC sees the revision as an opportunity to reinforce an inclusive, reliable and legally robust standardisation system that protects consumers, raises competitiveness and reinvigorates the Single Market.
Horizontal
ANEC on revision of the NLF
ANEC has submitted its reply to the EC consultation on the revision of the New Legislative Framework (NLF). We support revising the NLF to better address digitalisation, e-commerce, circular economy objectives and enforcement realities, stressing that reforms must strengthen consumer protection and product compliance, not weaken them.
We also highlight the need for digital compliance tools - such as the Digital Product Passport - while ensuring essential safety information remains accessible for consumers in printed form and throughout a product’s lifetime. Furthermore, we call for improved enforcement cooperation; clearer rules for refurbished and second-hand products; stronger oversight of notified bodies, and action to ensure consumers are no longer misled by CE marking.
ANEC on review of Market Surveillance Regulation
ANEC has sent its response to the EC consultation on the evaluation and possible revision of the Market Surveillance Regulation (EU) 2019/1020.
Based on the experience of consumer organisations across the EU, and evidence from product testing, enforcement actions and market monitoring, ANEC considers that - although the Regulation has strengthened the market surveillance framework, including the requirement for an EU established economic operator - it has not reached the intended level of consumer protection.
Rapid growth in e commerce; the expansion of online marketplaces; increasing product complexity - including connected and AI enabled products - and rising imports from third countries have placed significant pressures on national surveillance systems. ANEC believes there must be more demanding responsibilities placed on online marketplaces.
ANEC also believes the current framework cannot address these challenges without stronger EU coordination, improved enforcement capacity and more effective sanctions. Without a doubt, the revision of the Regulation is a vital opportunity to strengthen consumer protection in an increasingly digital and global environment.
Explore our Factsheet.
Fundamental Rights and Standards
The EC High-Level Forum on European Standardisation (HLFS) Work Stream 2 (WS2) report, - “Fundamental rights and standards” - was published on 4 December 2025. WS2 was co-led by ANEC and BEUC.
The report includes a set of recommendations to uphold fundamental rights in standardisation, while not interpreting them or defining them. The recommendations are addressed to standardisation actors, as well as to the EC and regulators.
Read the EC High-Level Forum on European Standardisation WS2 report.
EU Product Safety Award 2025
On 10 December, the European Commission announced the winners of the EU Product Safety Award 2025 during an awards ceremony in Brussels. The Award encourages and honours innovative business initiatives and research which enhance consumer safety beyond simple legal requirements. The 2025 edition invited applications in the following categories:
- Companies (large companies and SMEs) that innovate and go beyond the requirements set out in relevant EU legislation and standards and/or put consumer safety at the heart of their business.
- Researchers whose work has significant implications for consumer protection by increasing the safety of consumer products.
ANEC, through Senior Manager Tania Vandenberghe, was honoured to be again a member of the jury to select the winners.
More information about the award and the winners can be found on the EC website.
CASP 2026 Opening Event
On 26 January, ANEC attended the online stakeholder session of the CASP 2026 Opening Event. CASP stands for Coordinated Activities on the Safety of Products. The activities are financed by the European Commission.
Many of the actions fall under ANEC’s programme of activities.
CASP 2026 will check the safety of Seasonal sports equipment; Dangerous metals in jewellery; Toys for children under 3 years old; Choking hazards in toys; Fancy dresses and costumes; Toy Drones; Short circuits in electric appliances; Electric bicycles; Virtual reality sets; Textiles and Food imitating products. In addition, it will include three horizontal activities: Consumer Safety Gateway case analysis, Circular economy products and Inclusiveness in risk assessment.
Market surveillance is crucial for consumer protection as legislation and standards are of little value if not enforced. ANEC looks forward to contributing to several joint actions.
ANEC renews MoU with THUAS
ANEC has renewed its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS), linked to the latter’s International and European Law Programme.
The event was marked in the margins of meetings at THUAS on 12 February. THUAS Team Law’s Programme Director, Koosje Ploegmakers, counter-signed the MoU signed in Brussels by ANEC Director-General, Stephen Russell. Michela Vuerich attended on behalf of ANEC. Her participation coincided with her role in THUAS’s accreditation panel where, as a member of the Professional Advisory Committee (PAC), she highlighted the valuable cooperation between ANEC and THUAS.
The MoU also supports ANEC’s commitment under the High-Level Forum on Standardisation’s Pledge to promote education and skills in standardisation. It includes guest lectures to students by ANEC; the involvement of students in ANEC research projects on services standardisation, and ANEC participation in the PAC.
ANEC thanks Dr Orsolya Tokaji-Nagy for her role in establishing and maintaining the MoU.
plied Sciences (THUAS), linked to the latter’s International and European Law Programme.
The event was marked in the margins of meetings at THUAS on 12 February. THUAS Team Law’s Programme Director, Koosje Ploegmakers, counter-signed the MoU signed in Brussels by ANEC Director-General, Stephen Russell. Michela Vuerich attended on behalf of ANEC. Her participation coincided with her role in THUAS’s accreditation panel where, as a member of the Professional Advisory Committee (PAC), she highlighted the valuable cooperation between ANEC and THUAS.
The MoU also supports ANEC’s commitment under the High-Level Forum on Standardisation’s Pledge to promote education and skills in standardisation. It includes guest lectures to students by ANEC; the involvement of students in ANEC research projects on services standardisation, and ANEC participation in the PAC.
ANEC thanks Dr Orsolya Tokaji-Nagy for her role in establishing and maintaining the MoU.
Child Safety
Draft SReq ‘Children’s Products’
In December 2025, EC DG JUST consulted ANEC and other stakeholders on the draft Standardisation Request (SReq) on children’s products. This SReq will be key to the work of the ANEC Child Safety WG as it will drive the development and revision of numerous child-related standards in the coming years.
ANEC discussed the draft SReq with its experts during a Teleconference meeting on 9 January. Two of our experts also participated in the meeting of CEN/CLC SRAHG ‘Children’s products’, which met on 21 January to draft the CEN/CLC comments on the draft SReq.
In our reply to the EC, we indicated there are several issues that would need further clarification, related both to the draft SReq and to Commission Decision (EU) 2023/1338 of 28 June 2023 on the safety requirements to be met by European standards for certain children’s products and related products. In addition, there are a number of important issues that CEN technical committees and other organisations raised during the SRAHG meeting that ANEC agrees need clarification.
We look forward to further developments.
ANEC position on bedside sleepers
There have been long-standing discussions in CEN/TC 207/WG 2 "Requirements for children’s and nursery furniture" over whether or not bedside sleepers with only three sides should be covered by EN 1130 ‘Children's furniture - Cribs - Safety requirements and test methods’. This standard is currently under revision with active ANEC participation. A ballot was sent out within CEN/TC 207 ‘Furniture’ to seek views on whether or not three-sided bedside sleepers should be included in the revision.
Following discussion and consultation with its child safety experts, ANEC replied it was not in favour of bedside sleepers with only three sides, both when the fourth side is permanently missing or is capable of being removed. Our view is that there are too many misuse modes to make bedside sleepers without a fourth side acceptable to be included in the standard, as the consequences of misuse can be serious. Any extension of the standard must ensure safety by design and not rely solely on user instructions.
Discussions will continue.
Accessibility
ANEC calls for better accessibility
ANEC thinks accessibility should be strengthened in the new EC “Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities up to 2030”. See our full position.
Although we welcomed the European Accessibility Act, ANEC has identified important gaps, particularly the absence of binding EU rules for the built environment. Inaccessible buildings, transport and public spaces still prevent many persons with disabilities, and older consumers, from fully participating in society.
ANEC also notes accessibility challenges in domestic appliances, where poor design can affect usability and safety. Clear and measurable requirements, stronger market surveillance and better enforcement are needed.
We further support improved recognition of assistance dogs across EU countries.
Inclusive design and stronger legislation are essential for a fair and accessible Single Market.
New TR on Accessible ICT Public Procurement
The Technical Report, CEN/CLC/ETSI/TR 101551, “Guidelines for public procurement of ICT products and services in the European Union: accessibility award criteria and conformity assessment”, was adopted on 1 January 2026 with unanimous approval. The TR is linked to the European Accessibility Act (Mandate M/587) and supersedes CEN/CLC/ETSI/TR 101 552:2014 and CEN/CLC/ETSI/TR 101551:2014.
We welcome the TR as it directly strengthens accessibility, inclusion and trust in those digital products and services used in everyday life. The TR clarifies how accessibility award criteria can be defined, assessed and verified in public procurement processes. By encouraging the systematic inclusion of accessibility award criteria, it incentivises suppliers to design ICT products and services that are usable by all consumers, including persons with disabilities and older people.
By clarifying how accessibility criteria can be defined, assessed and verified, the report will reduce fragmentation among Member States. It will also help contracting authorities understand how to verify that accessibility claims are credible and substantiated, rather than relying on vague or self-declared statements. This will increase confidence that procured ICT products meet accessibility requirements.
ANEC believes that the guideline will aid public authorities buy ICT products and services that are accessible by design, not as an afterthought, and help to ensure that accessibility is built in from the start rather than treated as an optional add-on.
The Technical Report is available on the CEN-CENELEC website under the reference CEN/CLC/ETSI/TR 101551:2026, and on the ETSI website under the reference ETSI/TR 101551 V2.1.1.
Revised EN 17161 on Design for All approved
We welcome the approval of EN 17161, “Design for All approach - Managing accessibility of products and services” following the Enquiry stage. The decision was unanimous.
EN 17161 has been revised in the framework of the SReq under the European Accessibility Act and will become a harmonised standard. It is important for consumers because it provides a systematic, organisation-wide framework to ensure that accessibility and usability are embedded throughout the entire lifecycle of products and services, rather than addressed late or partially. ANEC’s contributions were on how to integrate accessibility into governance, strategy, risk management, design, procurement, testing, and feedback processes.
Digital Society
Further work on first AI Act standard
The first AI Act standard, prEN 18286 “Artificial intelligence – Quality management system for EU AI Act regulatory purposes”, was open for Enquiry ballot until 22 January 2026. The standard aims to provide presumption of conformity with Article 17 of the AI Act on Quality Management Systems, thereby supporting the development of trustworthy and compliant high-riThe first AI Act standard, prEN 18286 “Artificial intelligence – Quality management system for EU AI Act regulatory purposes”, was open for Enquiry ballot until 22 January 2026. The standard aims to provide presumption of conformity with Article 17 of the AI Act on Quality Management Systems, thereby supporting the development of trustworthy and compliant high-risk AI systems.
The draft was not approved, following a close vote. This can be linked to concerns raised by several National Standardisation Bodies regarding the recent fast-track procedure introduced by CEN-CENELEC JTC 21. There were reservations that comments submitted during the Enquiry phase may not be sufficiently considered should the draft proceed directly to publication.
The standard has now been referred back to the responsible Working Group, where the extensive comments received are scheduled to be addressed in a comments resolution meeting. It is anticipated that the revised draft will be resubmitted for vote in mid-2026.
ANEC has been active in the development of the standard and has submitted substantial comments which we expect to be considered during the revision process.
ANEC webinar on high-risk AI
On 3 February, ANEC hosted a public webinar examining how the EU’s upcoming AI Act’s high-risk requirements will impact fundamental and consumer rights.
In December 2025, the European Union’s Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) published its report on “Assessing High-risk Artificial Intelligence: Fundamental Rights Risks,” offering practical guidance on identifying and mitigating risks linked to high-risk AI systems in sectors such as education, employment and law enforcement.
During the webinar, organised by ANEC with support from the European AI & Society Fund (EAISF) and participation from the FRA, speakers presented the report’s key findings and discussed how a rights-based approach strengthens transparency, accountability and public trust while supporting AI developments. Nienke van der Have (FRA) and Chiara Giovannini (ANEC) provided insights into how policymakers, standardisation experts and consumer organisations can apply these recommendations in practice.
Domestic Appliances
Discriminatory sentence deleted
ANEC welcomed the decision of the December 2025 meeting of CENELEC TC 61 ‘Safety of household and similar electrical appliances' to delete a discriminatory sentence from the standard EN 60335-1.
In 2025, ANEC continued to defend the principle that the EN 60335 standards must protect all consumers under normal and reasonably foreseeable conditions of use. We expressed serious concerns about the introduction of the sentence: “People with disabilities can use this appliance but may need additional precautions to be taken”. ANEC contacted the EC as the change of wording from “very vulnerable people” to “people with disabilities” is in conflict with the Low Voltage Directive. Not all very vulnerable people have disabilities but still deserve protection without added precautions. Our action resulted in the decision of CENELEC TC 61 to delete the sentence from EN 60335-1, while confirming that this deletion would also apply across the series of EN 60335-2 standards, an extension we applaud.
Still wanted - a pan-European accident and injury database
In December, France raised a formal objection (FO) against the standard EN ISO 5395-3:2013 and amendments A1:2017 and A2:2018 “Garden equipment - Safety requirements for combustion-engine powered lawnmowers - Part 3: Ride-on lawnmowers with seated operator”. The French FO focuses on three technical areas of the standard:
- Ergonomics: Concerns related to control zone positioning and adjustability, for example seat adjustability on heavier machines.
- Operator Presence Control (OPC) / Functional Safety: Questions as to whether the OPC is treated as a safety function with adequate functional safety requirements. Concerns were raised that some OPC-related requirements were moved from normative text into notes, and that references to ISO 13849 were weakened or removed.
- Slope Indicator / Stability: the French authorities suggest the introduction of slope indicators or similar devices, arguing that the current standard does not sufficiently address risks on slopes, particularly for machines under 400 kg.
In January, ANEC participated in the meetings of CEN/TC 144/WG7 "Powered Lawn and Garden equipment" to discuss the French Formal Objection.
Accident statistics were provided to CEN/TC 144/WG7, covering 59 accidents from the period 2018 - 2025, of which 39 were fatal. At first glance, these figures might suggest significant gaps in the standard with respect to essential health and safety requirements. However, a detailed review of the accident descriptions reveals that essential information about what actually happened during the accidents is missing. In most cases, the fact that an accident occurred, along with its location and time, is recorded - but without further explanation of the sequence of events.
From the provided accident statistics, it is difficult to demonstrate that the accidents occurred due to gaps in the standard. This highlights once again the lack of a comprehensive pan European accident and injury database.
ANEC repeats its long-standing call to the EC to set up such a database - one comparable to the detailed databases available in the USA - in order to aid informed decisions.
Based on the provided information and the subsequent discussions within CEN/TC 144/WG7, ANEC informed the EC of our opinion that it is difficult to draw conclusions on whether there are gaps in the standard. More robust and detailed evidence - including an accurate accident database containing reliable information on the actual circumstances of accidents - would more likely allow an objective acceptance or rejection of the FO.
ANEC remains open to discuss the issue in order to ensure a high level of consumer protection during the use of ride-on lawnmowers.
Chemicals
ANEC concern at hazardous substances
ANEC has published a new position paper responding to the European Commission’s draft Implementing Act establishing EU‑wide End‑of‑Waste (EoW) criteria for plastic waste.
Although welcoming the goal of harmonised and enforceable EoW criteria that promote more sustainable recycling methods, ANEC highlights significant concerns regarding how hazardous chemicals - particularly Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) - are addressed in the proposal.
The proposal allows plastic waste containing POPs - above legal limits - to enter recycling if later treated, thereby risking the reintroduction of dangerous substances into consumer products. Meanwhile, ANEC calls for stricter input requirements, better traceability and recycling processes, that would fully prevent legacy contaminants from circulating in the economy. Where this is not possible, safe disposal must be ensured.
Ecodesign
ANEC joins IEC work on standard for repair
ANEC is now a member of IEC TC 111, the IEC committee working on environmental standards for electrical and electronic products.
We have joined the new IEC TC 111 WG23 to develop a standard to assess the repairability of electrical and electronic products, and are looking towards a document that will prove a robust guide able to push repairability on the global scale. This builds on our work in Europe in helping draft EN 45554; the European standard for repair.
News from ANEC member countries
Danish Consumer Council ‘Forbrugerrådet Tænk’ latest tests and investigations
Face masks - including facemasks intended for children
Nearly One in Three Face Masks Contains Problematic Chemicals | Forbrugerrådet Tænk
BPA in ready-made baby food
Good news for parents of young children: Ready-made baby food tested free of bisphenols | Forbrugerrådet Tænk
Eyelash lamination products
Market check reveals: Four eyelash lamination products you as a consumer should not be able to buy | Forbrugerrådet Tænk
For more information, please go to Danish Consumer Council.
For comments or if you wish to write an article for the ANEC Newsletter, please contact: Cezara Popovici (cpo(at)anec.eu).
