CONSUMER PROTECTION : KUNEVA PONDERS MP3 PLAYER SAFETY.

Citing latest scientific research results on the health risks personal music players can pose to listeners, Consumer Protection Commissioner Meglena Kuneva sees the need to formulate a "common understanding on the way forward" that should evolve into a "concrete action plan ensuring the safe listening of music". Addressing a stakeholders' conference on personal music players, on 27 January in Brussels, Kuneva said that "we need to act quickly and examine the rules in place to make sure that they keep pace with new technology and ensure that consumers benefit from the highest possible safety standards". The event was attended by representatives of the member states, the European Parliament, the industry, consumer organisations, as well as scientific and testing laboratories.

In October 2008, the EU Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) said that listening to MP3 players at a high volume over a sustained period can lead to hearing damage and loss and that 5% to 10% of listeners risk permanent hearing loss if they listen to an MP3 player for more than one hour per day each week at high volume settings for a period of at least five years. In light of these findings, the European Commission is now looking for ways to better protect customers.

THREE QUESTIONS

Recalling that current European safety standards already restrict the noise level of personal music players to 100 decibels, Kuneva asked the participants whether they saw the need...