Institutional portal - Municipality of Milan

Councilor Granelli: "We ask citizens not to purchase irregular goods or immediately report illegal products" - Photo gallery of non-compliant products
 
Milan, 6 December 2021 – CE marking, instructions in Italian, reliable retailers. These are the first simple but fundamental rules to follow before purchasing Christmas gifts or decorations for your homes.

This is remembered by the local police who, together with the Milan Monza Brianza Lodi Chamber of Commerce, and thanks to the technical support of the IMQ laboratories, are carrying out numerous interventions with the Anti-illegal Unit and with the Ration and Commercial Unit to identify and seize goods that do not comply with the regulations in force and potentially dangerous for citizens.

"We ask for the collaboration of consumers - explains the Councilor for Safety Marco Granelli - because the best way to combat the trade of irregular products is not to buy them or to immediately report the anomalies when you understand that you have a product in your hands that does not comply with the law. It is a question of safety, first of all, but also of protection of honest producers and traders who respect the rules. In 2020 the Local Police reported numerous traders for having placed dangerous products on the market, carrying out over 100 seizures and stealing approximately 47 thousand illicit products on the market including toys, electrical products, Christmas lights and household appliances".

Toys and electrical equipment are among the products on which it is mandatory, according to the European directive, to always display the CE marking. To this can be added the voluntary safety mark which guarantees that the product, before being marketed, has been subjected by an independent third party to all the necessary checks to ensure its safety and that, even once on the market, it is subject to surveillance periodically to ensure the maintenance of the quality standard.

Particular attention must be paid to Christmas lights which, having a small electrical system inside them, must be duly certified and accompanied by specific instructions on correct use. For example, if they are lights to be used outdoors, they must indicate the wording "for outdoor" and are also easily recognizable through the IP acronym - for example IP44 - shown on the packaging.

Decorating the tree is also a matter of safety. In fact, the Christmas tree is in close and constant contact with electrical equipment, which is why the risks of fire should not be underestimated, whether it is a natural or synthetic tree. If it is an artificial product (preferably built with eco-sustainable materials), it is necessary to verify that it is self-extinguishing - specification reported on the instructions or on the packaging with the words "fireproof" or "non-flammable". If you opt for a natural tree, check when purchasing that it is healthy and not already dry: a dry tree in the presence of flames can burn in just 20 or 30 seconds.

Particular caution should always be taken when connecting Christmas lights: if possible, it is better to provide a socket for each plug or, alternatively, use multiple sockets or certified adapters. If used outdoors, remember to check that the connections are protected from atmospheric agents. It is good practice to always disconnect power supplies from the sockets when you leave the house and possibly even at night, with benefits also for consumption.

Any citizen who has reason to believe the purchased product is dangerous or irregular (lack of labelling, CE marking or other conformity marks) can report it to the local police or the Chamber of Commerce, who will carry out the appropriate checks and provide, where necessary, the collection and seizure of the product at the commercial activity where it is offered for sale.

The controls concern both online trade and that in traditional points of sale. The products are subjected to a visual inspection and subsequently, if irregularities are found or it is suspected that they are counterfeit goods, samples are taken to conduct more in-depth analyzes and checks at accredited laboratories, such as IMQ, to verify correct labeling and requirements safety.

Once the non-conformity of the products and therefore the risk to consumer safety has been ascertained, the ministries of Economic Development and Health are informed so that their marketing on the national market is prohibited, ordering the withdrawal or recall of the product where it is already in the consumer availability. The national authorities then notify the European Commission to prohibit its marketing also in the Community territory.