Product safety agreement signed with China

Today the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China (AQSIQ) signed an agreement to increase co-operation on consumer product safety issues.

Concerns have been growing, not only in New Zealand but internationally, about consumer product safety issues and around the world there is a recognised need for better communication and co-operation between regulators.

“This agreement will strengthen collaboration, communication and understanding between consumer product regulators in China and New Zealand in dealing with and addressing product safety issues,” says Liz MacPherson, General Manager Ministry of Consumer Affairs.

China is now New Zealand’s second largest trading partner after Australia, and international trade is enhanced by making sure consumers have confidence in the safety of products, without creating unnecessary barriers to trade.

“We are already seeing that closer international collaboration is having a positive effect. In 2007 we saw a year when the level of consumer product recalls and other regulatory actions – particularly for toys and children’s products – hit an all time high. Since then, through various initiatives in a number of countries, there has been a steady reduction in the number of recalls.”

The United States, European Union and Canada have all signed bilateral product safety agreements with China and these have laid a foundation for on-going dialogue and information sharing. The arrangement between Ministry of Consumer Affairs and AQSIQ puts New Zealand in an equivalent position with these jurisdictions.

“Our arrangement with China shows the willingness of the Ministry and AQSIQ to work together to address consumer product safety issues of mutual concern.

“I am pleased this initiative opens channels of communication and identifies key contacts. This will help develop greater understanding and alignment between both countries systems and standards. It also provides a way of dealing with more urgent and immediate issues, for example helping trace an unsafe product back to source,” Liz MacPherson said.

ENDS

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