Technopolis Group, in cooperation with experts Maarten Botterman and Jonathan Cave, is pleased to present the publication of the study “New technologies and new digital solutions for improved safety of products on the internal market” delivered for the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) of the European Parliament.

The study examines how new technologies and digital solutions can help improve consumers’ awareness, while also guaranteeing a better safety of products placed on the Single Market. 

The study included an overview of the current policy framework for product safety (General Product Safety Directive (GPSD), the state of play of how new technologies and digital solutions currently affect product safety, and looked at best practices and developments for standards, certificates and labels for product safety across EU Member States. The study notably highlighted the ways in which new technologies and digital solutions can increase the sustainability and durability of products and potentially reduce planned obsolescence. 

Our recommendations looked at how the GPSD could have an important role in minimising market fragmentation and harmonising the ways new technologies and related aspects of product safety are defined and subsequently treated within the Single Market. They were articulated according to three main dimensions: 

• Better framing and monitoring of product safety in relation the landscape of new technologies and digital solutions
• Avoiding potential detrimental effects related to product safety
• Strengthening the roles of these technologies and solutions in enhancing product safety that creates net value.  

The full study is available here and the executive summary here. 

Reda Nausėdaitė
Associate Consultant

Gaëtan Coatanroch
Partner, Group Lead on Green Economy

Ivette Oomens
Principal Consultant

Morgane Veillet Lavallée
This person no longer works at Technopolis Group

Elmar Cloosterman
Senior Consultant