2025-11-30 18:16
publication
2025-11-30 18:16
The European Parliament adopted rules on Tuesday to make toys safer in the EU. The regulations previously agreed with Member States expand the list of chemicals banned in toys and introduce a digital passport allowing you to check whether a toy meets safety standards.
The rules adopted on Tuesday update the 2009 Toy Safety Directive, which has become outdated at a time when consumers are increasingly buying toys online and substandard products from outside the EU, especially from China, have entered the EU market. The new regulations are the result of an agreement negotiated between the European Parliament and EU member states in April.
– Toys are the most common category of products reported as dangerous. We can no longer tolerate this, said German MEP Marion Walsmann (EPP), the European Parliament's rapporteur on the topic, on Tuesday in Strasbourg.
The regulations expand the list of chemicals banned in the production of toys. It already contains substances that are carcinogenic, mutagenic and harmful to reproduction. Now they will be joined by chemicals that disrupt the functioning of the endocrine and respiratory systems and are harmful to the skin, as well as the so-called eternal chemicals, i.e. per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These substances are extremely difficult to decompose in the natural environment and are harmful to health (e.g. they can lead to liver damage), but they are popular because they increase the resistance of products. The most dangerous bisphenols (desirable because they make products flexible) and fragrances in toys for the youngest children and intended to be put into the mouth, e.g. teethers, have also been banned.
Before toys are placed on the market, manufacturers will have to carry out a safety assessmentincluding flammability, hygiene and radioactivity tests. With regard to digital toys, manufacturers will have to ensure that they do not pose a threat to children's mental health and, for example, are not addictive.
Manufacturers, importers, distributors and sellers will have to ensure that warnings about toys are provided in a language they can understand. In the event of any reports of threats, they will have to respond immediately, e.g. suspend the sale of toys, and inform the relevant market and consumer authorities.
Each toy will have to be equipped with a digital passport. On its basis, it will be possible to check where it comes from and whether it meets EU safety standards; this will help customs and supervisory authorities to effectively control the market. The passport will be equipped with a QR code, using which consumers will also be able to manually trace information about the toy.
Regulations impose additional obligations for online trading platforms. They will have to ensure that sellers display toys' compliance with EU safety standards (CE marking), safety warnings and digital passports. Failure to meet the requirements will be considered a breach of the EU's Digital Services Rules (DSA).
In 2023, 80 percent of toys imported into the EU came from China. In 2024, toys were the second most frequently reported unsafe consumer products in the EU, after cosmetics.
The new regulations will enter into force 20 days after their publication in the Official Journal of the EU. Member States and the industry will have 4.5 years to comply.
From Brussels Jowita Kiwnik Pargana (PAP)
jowi/ akl/
