The EU amends the harmonized standards for toys drafted in support of Directive 2009/48/EC. The Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/740 is published on April 5, 2023. What’s new and important for compliance issues?
What is Directive 2009/48/EC on the safety of toys?
This European Union legislation outlines the legal requirements for toy safety. The objective of the regulation is to guarantee that toys are safe for children to use. It applies to all toys intended for children under the age of 14. The regulations include
- specific requirements for the materials used in toys;
- restrictions on the use of certain chemicals and heavy metals;
- requirements for designing and constructing of toys, including requirements for sharp edges, small parts, and choking hazards;
- provisions for testing and certification of toys;
- requirements for manufacturers on how to prove that their products comply with existing regulations before they are placed on the market.
The directive also establishes a system for market surveillance, to ensure that toys continue to meet the safety requirements once they are on the market.
What is new from April 5, 2023?
The harmonised standards for toys drafted in support of Directive 2009/48/EC are published in the Official Journal of the European Union. The related references are listed in the Annex to this decision. Furthermore, Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/1992 is repealed.
This Decision enters into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union, April 5, 2023.
Why are the harmonized standards for toys continuously being revized?
There are constantly new scientific findings and technology is becoming more advanced. This brings to light new, previously unknown, safety issues. The toy industry is also evolving at a rapid pace. The European Commission therefore regularly updates it in an effort to keep pace with the ever-changing market supply.
What to do when you have applied standards to prove compliance?
Do you have applied standards to prove compliance in regard to the mentioned regulation? We recommend you to check the new list of standards to see if any of the standards you applied have been updated. If so, you need to re-evaluate your products against the updated standard and update your Technical Files.
Links to other compliance articles
- New EU Regulation to Facilitate Use of Non-Road Mobile Machinery on Public Roads
- EU Medical Devices Regulation Latest Amendment
- Frequency Of Notified Body Reassessments Increases: Why the European Commission Amends Existing Regulations
- REACH Latest Amendments of Harmonized Standards
- EEA Amends Agreement 62/2020
- European Commission Amends Standards Low Voltage Directive