In the first half of 2014, the European Commission’s Rapid Early Warning System for Non-Food Products (RAPEX) issued a total of 1,083 recall notifications around the world, a year-on-year increase of 36.06%. Among them, there were 209 notifications on textiles and clothing, accounting for 19.3% of the total number of notifications; 118 notifications were issued on Chinese textile and clothing products, a year-on-year increase of 8.26%, accounting for 17.6% of the total number of notifications to China, and 56.45% of global notifications of similar products. The reported growth rate of textile and clothing products throughout 2013 was in a downward trend, but in the first half of this year it began to show positive growth, but the number did not exceed the highest number (181 cases) in the same period in 2010. This shows that the number of EU notifications to the world, especially to China, has increased rapidly, and technical barriers to China have increased. Among textile and clothing products, the notified products are mainly children’s clothing. Among the notifications on China’s textile and clothing products, 92 cases involved children’s clothing, accounting for 78.0% of the total notifications on China’s textile and clothing products.
The top five countries that issued the most notifications to Chinese textile and apparel products in the first half of this year were Hungary with 37 cases, Cyprus with 21 cases, Germany with 15 cases, Bulgaria with 12 cases, and Spain with 10 cases. The 10 countries that issued the most notifications to China’s textile and clothing products issued a total of 112 notifications, accounting for 94.9% of all notifications to China.
Since the beginning of this year, the main reasons why textile and clothing products have been notified under the EU RAPEX system are similar to those in previous years. Most of them do not meet the European standard EN14682. The length of drawstrings on children’s tops, hats and clothing is too long, posing a risk of suffocation and injury. Other reasons include clothing accessories that are easily detached or unsafe and may cause swallowing and choking injuries, and violations of REACH regulations due to excessive chemicals (involving azo dyes, DEHP phthalates, and toxic aromatic amines). Among these notified products, except for some children’s clothing with excessive drawstring lengths, which were ordered to take corrective measures, all other products have been actively or passively withdrawn from the market, recalled products that have been sold, and products that have not yet entered the EU market. Directly refused import by customs.
In addition, the same type of products may be notified in different EU member states for different reasons. For example, for the same fireworks products, some countries make notifications because they pose a risk of burns, and some countries make notifications because they can cause damage to vision and hearing. Another example is the same for children’s clothing. Some countries have issued notifications because the accessories can cause suffocation injuries, and some countries have issued notifications because the printing and dyeing aspects do not meet relevant chemical standards.
