U.S., Canada and Mexico team up to improve consumer product safety

BETHESDA, Md. — Recently, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Health Canada and the Consumer Protection Federal Agency of the United Mexican States concluded a first-of-its-kind consumer product safety summit that was aimed at strengthening the protections for children and consumers throughout North America.

Statement

The three federal agencies with jurisdiction over consumer products in the U.S., Canada and Mexico issued a joint statement promoting greater cooperation and engagement in ensuring the safety of products made and sold across North America.

According to the U.S. Trade Representative, the North America Free Trade Agreement among the U.S., Canada and Mexico created the world’s largest free trade area, linking 450 million people producing $17 trillion worth of goods and services.

The increasing volume of global trade and the complexity of global supply chains require cooperation among consumer product safety authorities.

Collaboration areas

The organizations agreed to explore further opportunities for collaboration in the following six areas: consultation on proposed regulations and voluntary standards; cooperation on risk assessment; cooperation on import and market surveillance; cooperation on training and outreach within and outside North America; coordinated consumer awareness campaigns; and consultation on potential joint recalls or corrective actions.

Imports from Mexico and Canada accounted for the second and third largest shares, respectively, of imported consumer products likely to be under CPSC jurisdiction.

Both countries share major land borders with the U.S. and products produced in or imported from outside North America to any of our three countries may easily find their way into another partner’s jurisdiction.

“If products can be regulated in a harmonized manner and emerging hazards can be addressed swiftly, then consumers in all three countries can benefit”, said Chairman Tenenbaum.