Consumer products 

Consumer products are defined as items intended for consumers or likely to be used by consumers, even if not intended for them. Products provided in the framework of a service to consumers are also considered to be consumer products. The European Standards developed by various Technical Committees of CEN in the area of Consumer Products can be classified into five distinct categories:

  • Child safety
  • Household goods, sports and leather
  • Cosmetics
  • Textile products
  • Safety of other consumer products

More information about European Standards and other deliverables developed by CEN in the area of Consumer Products as well as the European Union’s legislative context can be found in sections below.

News and events

No current news.

Technical bodies and activities

CEN Technical Committees, which work is related to the consumer products' field:
 

Sector Forum

A Sector Forum is a platform aiming at facilitating the exchange of information between the different stakeholders, coordinating and identifying the standardization needs in a specific field of CEN work.
 
There is no Sector Forum in the Consumer products field.

European legislation and mandates

European Standards are developed in the context of European legislation and sometimes come in direct support to particular Directives or Regulations.
 
EU Directives
CEN has developed European Standards covering a wide range of consumer products and more than 30 are cited in the Official Journal of the European Union in the frame of the General Product Safety Directive (2001/95/EC) (pdf format). This Directive is currently undergoing a revision and it will become a Regulation.
 
CEN has also developed a series of European Standards in support of the Toys Safety Directive (2009/48/EC) (pdf format).
 
Mandates

Since 2012 CEN accepted the following European Commission Mandates for standardization work: (all in pdf format)
  • M/464 - Safety of child-care articles: Cluster 1 (drowning risks). Bath rings, bathing aids, bath tubs and stands.
  • M/497 Safety of child-care articles (Cluster 2: risks in the sleeping environment): mattresses for cots, cot bumpers, suspended beds for children,, duvets for children, sleep bags for children - the work has been allocated to CEN/TC 252 "Child use and care articles", CEN/TC 248 "Textiles", CEN/TC 207 "Furniture" as well as to a Joint Working Group 34 between CEN/TC 248 and CEN/TC 252
  • M/505 - Address certain risks posed to children by Internal Blinds, Corded Window Coverings and Safety Devices
  • M/506 - Stationary Training Equipment
  • M/507 - Gymnastic Equipment
  • M/508 - 'Standardisation Mandate issued to the European Standardisation Organisations (ESOs) to develop European Standards for Bicycles, Bicycles for Young Children and Luggage Carriers for Bicycles'
  • M/527 – Certain seats for children (chair-mounted seats, children’s chairs, children’s high chairs and table-mounted chairs)
  • M/531 - Consumer safety of laser products
  • M/538 - Alcohol-powered flueless fireplaces
Harmonized European Standards
Check the latest lists of European Standards referenced in the Official Journal of the European Union in support of: (all in pdf format)

Useful links and documents