Protection of consumers: liability for defective products (amend. Directive 85/374/EEC)

PURPOSE: amendment of the Product Liability Directive to extend its scope to primary products. COMMUNITY MEASURE: European Parliament and Council Directive 1999/34/EC amending Council Directive 85/374/EEC on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States concerning liability for defective products. CONTENT: This Directive extends the scope of Directive 85/374 to cover unprocessed agricultural products which had previously been excluded by virtue of Article 15, paragraph 1 (a). This is designed to help restore consumer confidence in the safety of agricultural products and will facilitate, for the benefit of consumers, legitimate compensation for damage to health caused by defective agricultural products. It should also be noted that for the purposes of this Directive, 'product' means all movables even if incorporated into another movable or into an immovable. 'Product' includes electricity. ENTRY INTO FORCE: 04.06.1999.