BRUSSELS. Unicorns, dolls, vending machines, teddy bears, buildings. Whatever the choice of game, the little ones in the EU are not yet fully protected from the risks that are hidden in the production process for their entertainment. The EU has banned the use of carcinogenic or potentially carcinogenic substances, but now intends to intervene on those chemicals that can cause respiratory or neurological problems.
The EU executive is determined to review the legislation on the matter, in the name of safety and protection of minors. Because even if today the toys placed on the EU market “are already among the safest in the world“, they underline in Brussels, there is still room for improvement. The proposal to amend the regulation on safety for toys therefore intends to further eliminate those potential residual risks. In practice this translates into a ban on the use of chemicals that affect the endocrine system (endocrine disruptors) and those chemicals that are toxic to a specific organ, including the immune, neurological or respiratory systems. “These chemicals are particularly harmful for children as they could interfere with their hormones, their cognitive development or more generally have an impact on their health“, they specify from Brussels.
However, the squeeze will not be total. To meet the needs of manufacturers, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, the Commission will allow derogations from such blanket bans ‘only in limited circumstances’ where the use of these substances in toys does not pose a risk to children and only if ‘ there are no alternatives.” Burden of proof obviously on the manufacturer. The commissioner for the internal market, Thierry Breton, however says he is convinced that “this proposal will ensure that children are even more protected when they play with toys, even from harmful chemicals”.
The regulatory changes that the Community executive intends to make to the Community framework look with some attention at potentially harmful toys that are found “especially online”. In the era of click-to-click purchases, we want a digital revolution above all. The proposal provides for the obligation to introduce a digital product passport for each individual children’s game that is intended to be placed on the market. The special electronic document must contain all the information of the realization. This, according to the intention of the twelve-star legislator, should facilitate control by national inspectors and customs officials. Under the new rules, importers will have to present the product’s digital passport to customs at EU borders, which will be checked to prevent unsafe toys from entering the EU market, including those sold online.
Everything is postponed from September. It is now up to the Parliament and the EU Council to decide what to do, but the two institutions are already on a summer break and their activities will resume after August.