TAIEX



With the support of TAIEX (Technical Assistance and Information Exchange Office), Market Surevillance Agency of BiH organized expert mission on „Detailed analysis of General Product Safety Directive“. The expert mission took place from 19th to 23rd January 2009, at the head office of the Agency.

Besides the employees of the Agency, participants of the seminar were representatives of Republic Administration for Inspection Activities of Republic of Srpska , Brcko District Inspectorate, and Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The expert lecturer was Mr. Vitomir Fister, a PLAC (The Policy and Legal Advice Centre) consultant for technical regulations and standards from Slovenia.

During this one-week seminar, the lecturer and the participants carried out detailed comparative analysis of The Law on General Product Safety ( Official Gazette of BiH, No 45/04 ) and GPSD, which (inter alia) lays down: general product safety requirements, criteria for conformity assessment of products with general safety requirements, obligations of producers and distributors, risk assessment, as well as informing the public (via RAPEX, ICSMS etc.), in order to provide consumer health and safety protection.

The seminar included consultations regarding amendments to the Law on General Product Safety, considering “The Goods Package”(the Regulation (EC) No. 765/2008 - which lays down the requirements for accreditation and market surveillance, with regard to making products available on the market, and the Decision No. 768/2008/EC on a common framework for the marketing of products). In addition, the suggested amendment regarding the transposition of the Directive 87/357/EEC on products which, appearing to be other than what they are, endanger the health or safety of consumers into The Law on General Product Safety was discussed. Due to necessity to elaborate certain concepts, definitions and connotations included in The Law on General Product Safety and The Law on Market Surveillance in Bosnia and Herzegovina , their amendments were specified and drafts were prepared. The subject of the seminar was also the connection between GPSD and sectoral directives ( Low Voltage Directive, Machinery Directive, Personal Protective Equipment Directive and Toys Directive).

Underlining Mr. Fister's expertise and experience, as well as the fact that he is engaged as a consultant in drafting The Law on General Product Safety in Serbia and Montenegro , the participants agreed that the seminar was successful and exceptionally useful.