Toys – Photo © strauchburg.de – Fotolia
(STRASBOURG) – The EU Parliament approved its position Wednesday on revamped EU rules on toy safety, offering better protection to children from the number of unsafe toys sold in the EU single market.
The MEPs’ text responds to the challenges of digital toys and online shopping, and converts the existing directive into a directly applicable regulation.
Focusing on children’s health and development, the proposal strengthens the requirements and bans on certain chemical substances in toys. The existing prohibition on carcinogenic and mutagenic substances or substances toxic for reproduction (CRM) is extended to chemicals that are particularly harmful to children, such as endocrine disruptors or chemicals affecting the respiratory system. The rules also target chemicals that are toxic to specific organs or are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic. Toys should not contain any per- and polyfluorinated alkil substances (PFASs) either.
All toys sold in the EU will have to have a digital product passport (replacing the EU declaration of conformity), detailing compliance with the relevant safety rules. This will enhance the traceability of toys and make market surveillance and customs checks simpler and more efficient. Consumers will also have easy access to safety information and warnings, for example via a QR code. MEPs in their position urge the Commission to support and guide SME toy manufacturers in performing safety assessments and fulfilling the product passport requirements.
Toys with digital elements need to comply with safety, security and privacy by design standards. MEPs say toys using AI falling under the scope of the new Artificial Intelligence Act will have to comply with cybersecurity, personal data protection, and privacy requirements. Manufacturers of digitally connected toys need to follow the EU’s Cybersecurity rules and consider, where appropriate, the risks to mental health and the cognitive development of children using such toys.
Toys must also comply with the recently updated General Product Safety rules, for example, when it comes to online sales, accident reporting, consumer right to information and remedy.
The text constitutes Parliament’s position at first reading. The file will be followed up by the new Parliament after the European elections on 6-9 June.
Further information, European Parliament
