There are new EU toy safety regulations. Negotiations lasted two years and three presidencies

The ban on use, among others carcinogens, toxic, sensitizing and fragrances in toys for the youngest children, new obligations for sellers, including online and digital passport for all toys – these are part of the entries of new EU regulations on toys safety.

Ambassadors of the EU Member States, under the leadership of the Polish Presidency, closed the lasting over two years and conducted by three presidencies, i.e. Spanish, Belgian and Hungarian, negotiations on the new regulations.

The regulations are to replace the outdated directive of 2009. They will also change the form, because the directive will be replaced by the regulation, which means that the new provisions will apply in the same form in every EU country and they will not need to be adapted to national law.

The new regulation will apply to both toys produced in the EU and imported. As the EU sources passed on PAP, although the existing EU regulations in the field of toys belonged to one of the most restrictive in the world, together with the development of technology there was a need to update them.

The adopted agreement focuses especially on the elimination of threats what toys can create for children's health. And so the regulation extends the list of carcinogens, mutagenic and toxic substances, including chemicals disturbing the hormonal economy, harmful to the immune, nervous or respiratory system.

Tests carried out by EU consumer organizations associated in the EU Consumer Organization of Beuc have often shown that toys, especially those imported from China, even several hundred times exceeded the permissible norms of the content of hazardous substances. For example, cheap plastic toys contained phthats dangerous for children's hormonal economy.

As part of the regulation, the use of sensitizing substances in toys, including skin allergies and causing serious allergic reactions or dermatitis, as well as toys subjected to biocidal products, including insecticidal. Here, only those toys that are intended for storage will be excluded from the regulation.

Fragrances in toys for children under three years of age and limited use of preservatives will also be banned; We are talking about substances that are to prevent or stop the distribution of materials used to produce some toys.

The new regulations are also to improve control of toys that hit the EU market outside the EU. All toys (also native production) will be equipped with a product passport. The document will contain detailed information on the safety of a given toy and will be able to be scanned by border control bodies using a new IT system. As a simplification of regulation, the product digital passport will replace all existing EU compliance certificates.

It happens that toys imported from outside the EU, especially from Asia, do not meet EU safety standards. Tests carried out by consumer organizations revealed toys from China with elements that the child can easily swallow and which could choking. It also happens that the documentation regarding a given toy is incompatible with reality.

To avoid this, the regulations will impose stricter duties on producers, distributors and toy sellers, including online e-commerce platforms, who will have to ensure that the toys that reach the EU market are in line with EU regulations.

As the EU sources donated to PAP, negotiations will continue between the legislators regarding the increase in the safety of toys connected to the Internet, i.e. interactive toys or using artificial intelligence technology, which can interact with the child, but can also be easily hacked and use, for example, to eavesdrop on a child or convey undesirable content. Negotiators want the manufacturer to assess their safety at the design stage of this type of toy.

In order for the reached agreement to enter into force, it must be formally approved by the EU Council, i.e. Member States and the European Parliament.

From Brussels Jowita Kiwnik Pargan (PAP)

Jowi/ AP/