Vörueftirlitskröfur

Vörueftirlitskröfur are the requirements governing the market surveillance of products placed on the Icelandic market to ensure they comply with safety, health, environmental, and consumer-information standards. These rules cover the obligations of manufacturers, importers and distributors to demonstrate that their products meet applicable legislation and to maintain documentation that supports conformity with the product's intended use. The term also encompasses the activities of authorities and designated bodies that verify compliance, conduct inspections, and take corrective actions when needed.

Iceland participates in the European Economic Area, and many product-safety rules derive from EU directives and regulations transposed into Icelandic law. Accordingly, vörueftirlitskröfur typically apply across a wide range of product sectors, including electrical and electronic equipment, toys, cosmetics, chemicals, food-contact materials and medical devices, among others. The framework often requires conformity assessment, a declaration of conformity, and, where applicable, the CE mark, as well as labeling, packaging, and clear usage instructions. Post-market activities such as incident reporting, market surveillance, recalls and penalties for non-compliance are integral parts of the regime.

Compliance responsibilities: manufacturers and importers bear primary responsibility for conformity, maintaining technical documentation and ensuring ongoing conformity; distributors and retailers must act on non-compliant products and cooperate with authorities. Market surveillance authorities have powers to inspect, test, withdraw products, order recalls, or impose penalties to protect consumers and maintain fair competition.