EU clamps down on toy safety with new regulations and digital passports

The European Union concluded negotiations on new toy production regulations on 10 April. These regulations aim to ensure products are safer for health. The new rules ban the use of carcinogenic, toxic, and allergenic substances in toy production. These regulations will apply to both toys manufactured within the EU and those imported, primarily from China.

The regulations will replace the outdated 2009 directive, which will be superseded by an EU regulation. This means the new rules will apply uniformly across every EU country without the need for adjustments to national laws.

The agreements include, among other things, the introduction of a digital passport for toys, intended to enhance control over products entering the EU market. This document will contain detailed information about toy safety, and border control authorities will be able to scan it using a new IT system. The digital passport will replace the existing EU conformity certificates.

The new regulations also impose obligations on trading platforms such as Shein and Temu. These platforms will need to ensure that the toys sold in the EU comply with the new safety standards. Previous tests have shown that many toys, particularly those from China, did not meet EU standards, posing a risk to children. For example, cheap plastic toys contained phthalates dangerous to children's hormonal balance.

Despite progress in regulations, a common position on interactive toys that connect to the internet or use artificial intelligence has not yet been agreed upon. These toys can be susceptible to hacking, presenting an additional challenge for manufacturers and legislators.

For the agreement reached on Thursday to come into effect, it must be formally approved by the EU Council, comprising member states, and the European Parliament.