New EU toy regulation

The Enterprise Europe Network informs:

The European Commission has published the final draft of the new Toy Safety Regulation, which introduces far-reaching changes for manufacturers, online marketplaces and the protection of children. The aim is to reduce the high number of unsafe toys in the EU, especially those sold online or imported from non-EU countries.

A central element is the replacement of the previous EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC) with a Digital Product Passport (DPP). This contains product-specific data, including the DoC and additional information, which can be accessed via an electronic data carrier (Chapter IV and Annex VI). Digital Product Passports will help to speed up customs controls and improve consumer access to safety information. To support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the Commission has been tasked with providing practical guidance and tailored instructions for the creation of the DPP.
Manufacturers of digitally connected toys will have to assess the impact on children's mental health and cognitive development as part of the essential safety requirements. The chemical safety assessment will be tightened: in addition to exposure to individual chemicals, the combined risk from different chemicals must also be taken into account. Toys should not contain carcinogenic substances, endocrine disruptors or PFAS.

Online marketplaces are obliged to comply with the requirements of Article 22 of the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR). The regulation also clarifies exceptions, for example for scooters for children over 20 kg or books for children aged 36 months and over that are manufactured without additional materials.

The new rules aim to increase the safety of toys, promote digital transformation in the industry and better protect consumers.

Source: European Commission