26.1.2010 Official Journal of the European Union L 22/1 II (Non-legislative acts) DECISIONS COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 16 December 2009 laying down guidelines for the management of the Community Rapid Information System ‘RAPEX’ established under Article 12 and of the notification procedure established under Article 11 of Directive 2001/95/EC (the General Product Safety Directive) (notified under document C(2009) 9843) (2010/15/EU) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, in the Member States. It provides a basis for identifying the need for action at Community level and makes for consis- tent enforcement of EC product safety requirements and hence the smooth functioning of the internal market. Having regard to Directive 2001/95/EC of the European Parlia- (3)  The notification procedure established under Article 11 of ment and of the Council of 3 December 2001 on general product Directive 2001/95/EC provides for an exchange of infor- safety (1), and in particular the third subparagraph of Article 11(1) mation between the Member States and the Commission and point 8 of Annex II thereof, on measures adopted in relation to products posing a non- serious risk to the health and safety of consumers. After consulting the Advisory Committee set up by Article 15 of Directive 2001/95/EC, (4 Notifications submitted under Article 11 of Directive 2001/95/EC help to ensure a consistent, high level of con- Whereas: sumer health and to preserve the unity of the internal market. (1) Article 12 of Directive 2001/95/EC establishes a Commu- nity Rapid Information System ‘RAPEX’ for the rapid exchange of information between the Member States and (5 In order to facilitate the operation of RAPEX and the the Commission on measures and action taken in relation to products posing a serious risk to the health and safety of consumers. RAPEX helps to prevent and restrict the supply of prod- ucts posing a serious risk to consumer health and safety, and facilitates the monitoring of the effectiveness and con- sistency of market surveillance and enforcement activities (1) OJ L 11, 15.1.2002, p. 4. notification procedure under Article 11 of Directive 2001/95/EC, the Commission should draw up guidelines to regulate various aspects of these notification procedures and, in particular, to establish the content of notifications. These should include a standard notification form, criteria for notifications involving risks that do not or cannot go beyond the territory of the Member State and criteria for the classification of notifications according to the degree of urgency. The guidelines should also lay down operating arrangements, including deadlines for the various steps of the notification procedures.