Anyone who buys toys actually assumes that they are safe. However, many chemicals that are considered potentially harmful to health are still permitted. The EU Parliament has therefore decided on stricter requirements.
Toys for children in the European Union should become safer. A majority of the EU Parliament therefore voted in Strasbourg to tighten the current rules. Accordingly, teddy bears, dolls and the like will soon no longer be allowed to contain chemicals that could potentially influence the hormonal, nervous or immune systems.
Substances that can damage the respiratory tract should also no longer be allowed to be used in toys. Substances that are carcinogenic, DNA damaging or can affect fertility were previously banned.
Companies that manufacture, import or sell toys in the EU should ensure that their products comply with these strict safety regulations. They should also create a digital product passport that shows exactly which materials and chemicals were used in production.
Toys are at the top of the warning list
Before a toy is placed on the market, manufacturers must carry out a safety assessment, according to Parliament. Nevertheless, dangerous toys still end up in the hands of consumers. In 2022, toys were at the top of the list of warnings about dangerous products in the EU and accounted for 23 percent of all reports.
With the vote, Parliament has positioned itself for upcoming negotiations with the EU states. These discussions about the final design of the project can begin once the member states have agreed on their position.