The Rusty Paragraph 2017 goes to the regulation for oven mitts
Following the EU, barbecue and oven gloves are now also considered PPE in Switzerland. The IG Freiheit has awarded the new regulation on this as the most unnecessary law of the year with the Rusty Paragraph 2017.
For the eleventh time, IG Freiheit is awarding the "Rusty Paragraph" to the most unnecessary, superfluous law of the year. This year, the award goes to the new regulation for grill and oven gloves: These are now considered personal protective equipment and must therefore be equipped with a declaration of conformity and instructions for use. In addition, they must have an "adequate thermal insulation capacity and mechanical strength" and in the EU, at the latest in 2018, every heat protection product sold must bear a so-called CE mark.
For the implementation of the strict requirements, which are based on an EU regulation (Safety-Plus reported) are adopted by Switzerland, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs is responsible. Nevertheless, according to the EU, self-crocheted potholders will still be allowed in the future without prior consultation of instructions for use.
IG Freiheit has awarded the "Rusty Paragraph" every year since 2007. With this award, IG Freiheit wants to draw the attention of the public, but especially of politicians and administrative staff, to the countless unnecessary and bureaucratic regulations. All those people who are responsible for a particularly nonsensical regulation or a questionable ban have a chance of being nominated. The winner will be determined in a public internet voting.
