In a move that will benefit small-business importers of artisanal items made by developing-country small-scale producers, the House and Senate passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) reform bill yesterday. Next step: President Obama’s signature.
Two of the bill’s significant provisions are:
· Because many businesses feel that the current testing requirements are quite costly, especially for small and medium-sized businesses, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) will seek public comment on ways to reduce the burden and cost of testing, specifically requesting information on redundancy with existing testing standards
· Inclusion of testing alternatives and exemptions for small batch manufacturers. Alternatives can include meeting requirements of other nations or international standards. Small batch manufacturers means a manufacturer that had no more than $1,000,000 in total gross revenue from sales of all consumer products in the previous calendar year.
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