As of today, the prohibition to market in Poland gadget-lighters and lighters without safety features that prevent children from lighting them is in force

Each year in EU countries, 30 to 40 persons, often children, perish in fires that are started by children that play with lighters without appropriate safety features. Based on the European Commission’s decision, in most of EU countries each lighter marketed must have a mechanism that prevents children under 4 from lighting it.

In Poland, the new law introducing the community regulations is in force since April 30th, 2007. The safety mechanism should prevent the child from easy lighting of the lighter. The marketing prohibition also refers to "gadget-lighters", or lighters that due to their shape resamble cartoon personages, everyday use products, animals, dishes or drinks - may be considered by children as toys.

The new provision relates to products that will be marketed in Poland after its effective date. To allow the entrepreneurs to adapt to the requirements, the regulation provides for a transition period until March 10, 2008. Until this date, lighters that were marketed before the effective date of the new law may be sold.

The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection appeals to the parents to remember that thanks to the new requirements, lighting of the lighter by children will be made difficult, not totally impossible. Therefore, this does not free the adults from taking care of children and from preventing them from playing with lighters.

Additional information:
Małgorzata Cieloch, UOKiK Spokesperson
Pl. Powstańców Warszawy 1, 00-950 Warszawa
Tel. 22 827 28 92, 55 60 106, 55 60 314
faks 22 826 11 86

E-mail mcieloch@uokik.gov.pl