US CPSC to Implement Electronic Filing System Pilot Program for Imported Products

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) approved a pilot program to test an electronic filing system that requires importers to electronically submit five data elements for imported consumer products.

The measures are designed to enable the CPSC to enhance their surveillance of imported goods and allow them to accurately identify noncompliant and unsafe consumer products before distribution within the United States. The new pilot program (1) will be conducted jointly with US Customs & Border Protection (CBP). The CPSC is currently seeking volunteer participants and scheduled the test program to begin in the summer of 2016, and will run for approximately six months. Importers are required to electronically file the five data elements via the Partner Government Agency message set. This will facilitate electronic data collection, processing, sharing, and reviewing of import data and will provide companies a single point for submitting import-related information.

Requested Data Elements

The electronic filing system requires importers to provide five data elements:

(1) Identification of the finished product.
(2) Each consumer product safety rule to which the finished product has been certified.
(3) Place where the finished product was manufactured, produced, or assembled, including the name and address of the manufacturer.
(4) Name and contact information of the testing entity.
(5) A check box indicating that a required certificate currently exists for the finished product.

CPSIA Regulation

Under the current system, section 14(a) of the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA), as amended by section 102(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA), requires manufacturers (including importers) and private labelers of certain regulated consumer products manufactured outside of the US to test and certify that such products are compliant with all regulations prior to importation. The certificates of compliance and product safety are made available to the CPSC by placing paper certificates inside shipping containers or providing electronic certificates through an online system or via email. The new pilot program will assess two options for the electronic filing of the certificate data, either by filing all certificate data at the time of the products entry to the US or by filing a reference to certificate data stored in a registry maintained by the CPSC. The electronically filed information will be available to CPSC for validation and risk assessment.

References:

(1) US CPSC, Electronic Filing of Targeting/Enforcement Data: Announcement of PGA Message Set Test and Request for Participants, August 2015

About SGS Consumer Goods and Retail Services

Throughout their global network of laboratories, SGS is able to provide a range of services, including analytical testing and consultancy, for restricted substances in consumer products for United States and international markets.

Please do not hesitate to contact an SGS expert for further information.

Contact details:

SGS Consumer Testing Services
Kris Wan
Senior Manager, Global Softlines Development Office
SGS Hong Kong

t: +852 2765 3695
Email: [email protected]      
Website: http://www.sgs.com/cgnr  
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/sgs-consumer-goods-&-retail

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 80,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 1,650 offices and laboratories around the world.