Areas for action identified at the meeting include product traceability, joint cooperation on toy safety standards, expertise exchange and joint enforcement measures. Future areas for discussion between the three economic giants will focus on strengthening information exchange on alerts and recalls.
Similar cooperation agreements are already in place on a bilateral basis. "The tripartite participants regard existing bilateral cooperation agreements as sufficient basis upon which to build and extend their trilateral collaboration," state the summit conclusions.
However, it remains unclear as to when the new trilateral measures will be implemented, with EU Consumer Affairs Commissioner Meglena Kuneva admitting that she could not give a timeframe. "At least harmonisation of product safety standards is on the agenda," she said.
Boosting EU-China cooperation
Meanwhile, the EU and China signed a "renewed and extended" bilateral memorandum of understanding (MoU) signalling their "mutual commitment to enforcing high product safety standards". It also commits the pair to strengthening information exchange on food safety and sanitary issues.
The memorandum, first signed in 2006, allows for "joint enforcement actions," whereby the EU and China carry out "coordinated and simultaneous checks" of particular sectors to ensure that safety standards are being applied. Reporting on China via the European Commission's alert system for dangerous consumer goods (RAPEX) will be upgraded to a quarterly basis.
Commissioner Kuneva said the trilateral summit sent "a very clear signal about the determination of leaders in Europe, China and the US to put the safety of citizens first and to keep up the political momentum to insist that standards are high and fully enforced at every step along the global supply chain".
China concerns
"Close cooperation is not just a desirable luxury, but a real necessity, especially after recent scares," Kuneva continued. According to RAPEX, "approximately 50% of goods withdrawn from the EU market in recent years are of Chinese origin".
Indeed, toy safety became a particular concern for the EU in 2007 following the recall of millions of Chinese-made products – including the iconic Barbie doll - by US giant Mattel, after they were discovered to contain 'impermissible' amounts of lead and choking hazards.
China says it is working hard to address such concerns. "We have set up a national action plan to examine toy safety and a monitoring system to ensure that manufacturers fully comply with international standards," said Wei Chuanzhong, vice-minister of China's product safety authority AQSIQ.
But Wei admitted that "more dialogue" with industry was necessary because "problems persist with toys". "Products that do not comply with international standards will be set aside," he insisted.
US Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairperson Nancy Nord said yesterday's summit had given a clear signal to manufacturers that toy safety was at the top of the political agenda. "When our three agencies speak with one voice, industry will listen," she insisted.
The three economic powerhouses will meet again to review progress and discuss further areas for cooperation in 2009, "at a date and place to be determined," state the conclusions.
