EC and four online marketplaces sign a product safety pledge to remove dangerous products. Credit: European Commission.

The European Commission (EC) has joined four major online retailers, Alibaba, Amazon, eBay, and Rakuten – France to sign the ‘Product Safety Pledge’ for faster removal of dangerous products sold on their sites.

As part of the initiative, the retailers will respond to notifications on dangerous products from the European Union (EU) Member State authorities within two working days.

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The online marketplaces will take action on notices from customers within five working days, then follow-up and inform the authorities on the action taken.

Other measures to be taken by the four retailers will include offering a means for customers to notify dangerous product listings.

They should take appropriate action with respect to recalled or dangerous products listed on the EU Rapid Alert System and from other enforcement authorities.

“They should take appropriate action with respect to recalled or dangerous products listed on the EU Rapid Alert System and from other enforcement authorities.”

The companies will have to offer specific single contact points for EU Member State authorities for the notifications on dangerous products and facilitation of communication on product safety issues.

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The four retailers should also take measures to prevent the reappearance of dangerous product listings.

They should deliver information and training to sellers in compliance with EU product safety legislation and ensure sellers comply with the law. The retailers should provide sellers with the link to the list of EU product safety legislation.

The EU e-Commerce Directive currently introduces notice and take-down procedures for problematic content online, whereas it does not have the authority to regulate them in detail.