Vote in the European Parliament on the Toy Safety Regulation: impractical requirements
Following the European Parliament's plenary vote on the proposed Toy Safety Regulation, Toy Industries of Europe (TIE) is very concerned about the consequences of the vote. Some of the mandatory requirements simply cannot be implemented in practice.
By demanding the impossible, the Parliament is giving free rein to rogue traders who will continue to produce unsafe toys without bothering about new regulations. They are pushing consumers into the hands of these rogue traders. It is hard to imagine that this is what the European Parliament wants. Toy Industries of Europe appeals to the other EU institutions to mitigate the negative effects of the EP report.
Safe toys will be banned
Although some improvements will facilitate the effective application and enforcement of toy safety standards, significant concerns remain that jeopardize the safety of children:
1. The European Parliament's report makes it impossible to use naturally occurring ingredients in toys. This means that safe toys such as crayons, paints, chalks, etc. will be banned.
2. It will also be extremely difficult to maintain the current exemption for the safe use of stainless steel, which is required for outdoor toys such as trampolines, go-karts, etc. There are no alternative materials that match the durability and safety standards of stainless steel for toys.
3. The transition period of 30 months is far too short for manufacturers to be able to make the extensive changes required to comply with the new regulation, many of which are beyond their control. Once in force, toy manufacturers will have to wait for new standards to be introduced, get clarity on certain exemptions provided for in the regulation and introduce a digital product passport that is yet to be developed (these steps can easily take more than 30 months). And then begin the normal 18-month process of developing a compliant toy.
4. Regrettably, the European Parliament has missed a simple opportunity to close the loophole that allows sellers from outside the EU to sell unsafe toys on online marketplaces. It is disappointing for toy manufacturers who prioritize safety that online marketplaces still have no legal responsibility for the sale of unsafe toys from third country sellers on their platforms.
No lifting of the sell-off period
We had also hoped for the removal of the proposed limited sales period for safe toys that are already on the market when the new regulations come into force. The extension to 20 months is not enough: Hundreds of thousands of safe toys that remain on store shelves longer will have to be tracked down and destroyed. This is an inexcusable waste.
"Despite intending the opposite, the European Parliament has taken a step backwards in terms of child and toy safety. We really hope that as the legislative process continues, more attention will be paid to whether the proposals are realistic and whether they will really make toys safer," says Catherine Van Reeth, Director General of TIE.
The full statement from TIE: