EU bans hazardous chemicals in toys and introduces digital product passports
The EU has reached a political agreement on new toy safety rules: a ban on harmful substances and the introduction of digital passports to enhance control.
Photo: Chris Hardy, Unsplash
The European Commission welcomed the preliminary political agreement reached on April 10 between the European Parliament and the EU Council on new toy safety rules.
The agreement is based on the Commission’s proposal of July 28, 2023, and aims to strengthen the protection of children’s health.
The new regulation bans the use of dangerous chemicals in toys, including PFAS, bisphenols, and endocrine disruptors.
A key innovation is the digital product passport, such as a QR code. It will contain information about the toy’s composition, safety, and origin, speeding up the inspection process for both online and offline markets.
Importers will be required to submit digital passports at the EU border, while a dedicated IT system will automatically select shipments for inspection.
National inspectors will be given greater authority to remove dangerous toys from the market. These changes will align safety standards for products manufactured both inside and outside the EU.
The agreement will enter into force 20 days after publication and includes a transition period for the industry to adapt.
Earlier, the European Union granted the United States a three-month pause by temporarily suspending retaliatory tariffs in an effort to resolve disputes through negotiations, while making it clear that stricter measures remain on the table if talks fail.