Article 31Joint activities on product safety

1. In the framework of the activities referred to in Article 30(3), point (b), market surveillance authorities may agree with other relevant authorities or with organisations representing economic operators or consumers to carry out activities aimed at ensuring safety and protection of consumers health with respect to specific categories of products made available on the market, in particular categories of products that are often found to present a serious risk to the health and safety of consumers.

2. The relevant market surveillance authorities and the parties referred to in paragraph 1 shall ensure that the agreement to carry out such activities does not lead to unfair competition between economic operators and does not affect the objectivity, independence and impartiality of those parties.

3. The Commission shall organise on a regular basis joint activities of market surveillance authorities whereby the market surveillance authorities conduct inspections regarding products offered online or offline, which those authorities acquired under a cover identity.

4. A market surveillance authority may use any information obtained as a result of the joint activities carried out as part of any investigation undertaken by it regarding the safety of products.

5. The market surveillance authority concerned shall make the agreement on joint activities, including the names of the parties involved, available to the public and shall enter that agreement in the information and communication system referred to in Article 34 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1020. The Commission shall make that agreement available on the Safety Gate Portal.