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Universal electrical sockets featuring multiple different socket styles in the European Union (EU) were recently falsely given the CE Mark, and were deemed illegal for sale in the United Kingdom. In the 1990's, the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) spent a considerable amount of time, money and effort to develop a universal plug, however every attempt resulted in critical safety flaws. Other companies picked up where CENELEC left off, and attempted to create their own version of a universal socket.

In the European Union, each country is responsible for their own socket standard. This resulted in European countries having vastly different socket styles and specifications in differing countries. This causes one of the key issues with universal sockets. They require many different holes to allow most European plug styles to be inserted into them. These holes allow plugs to to be inserted incorrectly into two different sockets, potentially damaging any equipment plugged in and compromising consumer safety.

The universal electrical socket is recessed, and the grounding connector is on the recessed edge. A universal socket cannot be recessed because it woiuld prevent the other plugs from fitting. This means German plugs not only aren't grounded, but they also have much less stability and can easily be yanked out of the socket. A similar problem exists with the French socket, where the grounding pin extends out of the recessed socket. This means French plugs suffer the reduced stability and lack of grounding that the German plugs suffer from.

While the United Kingdom was quick to ban these products from being sold in the country, many countries outside the EU rely upon the CE Mark for safety. As most of these countries do not have the capabilities to protect themselves from violations of consumer safety, they are very vulnerable to exploitation by these plugs.

The universal sockets themselves tend to cost less than certified EU sockets as they don't have to be certified and they use much cheaper materials than what standards require. The reduced cost of the universal plugs means those who do not know the safety issues related to the universal plugs may be enticed to purchase one due to its reducesd cost and extra features.

We here at Product Safety Consulting remind everyone to remain vigilant when purchasing products. Before purchasing any product, ensure it is properly tested, and certified in compliance with your local safety standards. Regardless of what your product is, or what standards are applicable to your product, let Product Safety Consulting be "Your Outsourced Compiance Department".