RQA - Recall News

RQA has launched the new web application - Crisis Plan Toolkit

RQA has launched the new web application to enable companies to build their own high calibre recall and crisis plans. This has been launched at the Global Food Safety Summit in Amsterdam on 9 and 10 September 2009 which has been sponsored by RQA Europe.

The toolkit will help you to create and finalise either a comprehensive crisis management plan or a single incident plan (e.g. a product recall plan or pandemic flu plan etc). Once complete your plan will be compliant with the sections in both the BRC and IFS on the management of incidents, product withdrawal, and product recall.

Go to www.crisisplantoolkit.com for more details or click here to contact RQA Europe.

RQA Europe sponsored The Global Food Safety Summit held on 9 and 10 September 2009 in Amsterdam.

The summit included a conference and exhibition which was subtitled "From Risk to Recall". This conference which was chaired on the first day by Vince Shiers, Managing Director of RQA Europe, discussed the strengths and weaknesses in different approaches to food safety, quality and risk management. Over the two days, the conference featured real-life case studies from some of the world's largest food and beverage companies to enhance knowledge regarding global food safety.

The winner of RQA Europe's prize draw has been selected.

The winner of RQA Europe's exciting prize draw, which is open to those who subscribe to the RQA recall newsletter, was drawn on the 18th of September. The lucky winner is the employee of Robert Wiseman Dairies and did not wish to publish his/her full name. The prize was the latest Nintendo Wii Console (Included Wii Sports) and has been sent to the lucky winner.

Click here to sign up for our newsletter and receive information about upcoming prize draws.

Revised Toy Safety Directive 2009/49/EC - Summary

On June 30th the revised Toy Safety Directive 2009/49/EC was published in the EU Official Journal. This article will provide an overview of this directive and its implications.

For more than twenty years the safety of toys has been controlled under directive 88/378/EEC. However technologies, knowledge of hazardous substances and the trading environment has changed over this time and a full revision of the directive has been considered necessary.

When does it come into force?

  • Member states must transpose the directive into law by December 2010.
  • The majority of the requirements within the directive become applicable in July 2011
  • The chemical provisions within the directive become applicable in July 2013


What products are affected? - Products designed or intended, whether or not exclusively for, use in play by children under 14 years of age. There is a subtle rewording in this statement from the previous directive but it is probably intended to reflect many of the decisions companies currently make about "grey area" products. There is an updated list of excluded products.

What are the top ten changes?

1. Traceability - There is more emphasis on the ability to trace the origin and supply route for the toy by adding manufacturer addresses and a unique identification on the toy or packaging or accompanying documents.

2. Obligations of Economic Operators - Company roles are defined in the directive as; Manufacturers, Importers and Distributors. Each role has a related list of obligations they must meet. In general obligations are more onerous for manufacturers who must ensure toys comply with safety requirements. Importers are obligated to place only compliant toys on the market and distributors have to take due care. However it should be noted that a company's usual trading role may not be the role they adopt under the directive. For instance there are times when an importer takes on the obligations of a manufacturer i.e. if they design a toy or modify the design of an existing toy in any way. Companies will need to define their role for each buying method, type of toy and the stage in the product cycle they become involved.

3. Toys in Food - Toys contained within food or co-mingled in food must have their own packaging which must not be a "small part" likely to cause a choking hazard. Toys included in food in a way that means the food is consumed to access the toy are prohibited.

4. Warnings - Warnings must be preceded by the word "Warning" and where they relate to age grading of the toy they must be visible at the point of purchase - this includes on-line or catalogue purchase. Extra requirements for "age limitations" have been added for certain toys which need to be defined by the manufacturer

 Click here to read more. 

Case Studies