NEWS from CPSC

CPSC Signs Cooperative Memorandum of Understanding With Canadian Government To Improve Safety of Consumer Products In Both Countries

Builds on new North American security and prosperity agreement

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) today announced an agreement (pdf) with the Canadian government aimed at further improving consumer safety and making both the United States and Canadian marketplaces among the safest in the world. This agreement is also part of the "Security and Prosperity Partnership" between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

CPSC Chairman Hal Stratton and Susan Fletcher, Assistant Deputy Minister of the Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch of the Department of Health of Canada (Health Canada), signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which calls for increased harmonization of existing and prospective safety standards, and exchanging more information on safety research and other findings. The agreement also calls for both agencies to share inspection and laboratory test results, where appropriate.

Another key provision that Health Canada has agreed to involves advance notification to CPSC when a product that violates a Canadian safety standard or poses a danger to Canadian consumers is intended for export to the United States. Canadian officials will inform CPSC staff in a timely manner of a shipment's contents and intended importer, so that steps can be taken to ensure the greatest protection of American consumers, which can include re-routing or denying entry of the non-compliant products. CPSC has been notifying country counterparts for years of non-compliant and/or violative U.S. goods requested for export.

"Consumers in both countries shop in similar stores and use many of the same products," said Stratton. "This agreement builds on our close relationship with Health Canada and will help both agencies identify dangerous products faster and save lives and prevent injuries in the U.S. and Canada."

"Over recent years, the informal collaboration between our two nations in the area of consumer protection has increased dramatically," said Canada's Minister of Health Ujjal Dosanjh. "This agreement with our American partners will enhance and strengthen our collective ability to safeguard our citizens against potentially harmful consumer products. It exemplifies well the importance of collaboration, while at the same time, preserves jurisdictional independence. "

The MOU builds upon information sharing that has been in place for years through monthly conference calls between officials at CPSC and Health Canada. In addition, CPSC will be able to provide more timely and in-depth information to Canadian media who contact CPSC about recalls and safety alerts that affect Canadian consumers.

The CPSC/Health Canada MOU also builds on the "Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP)," announced earlier this year by President George W. Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin and Mexico President Vicente Fox. The SPP is a trilateral effort to increase security and enhance prosperity among the three countries through greater cooperation and information-sharing. As a key component of the SPP, U.S. and Canadian officials agreed to "finalize and sign a Memorandum of Understanding…to enhance and strengthen the exchange of information and existing public health and safety protection cooperative activities related to the safety of consumer products."

CPSC is currently working to satisfy another key component of the Manufactured Goods Working Group of the SPP by negotiating with its Mexican counterpart, PROFECO, to reach a similar Memorandum of Understanding agreement.