Regulation and product standards for toys

In Europe, the responsibility for toy regulation rests with the Directorate General Enterprise. The import and manufacture of toys is regulated by the European Union’s Toy Directive (Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EU).

Toy Directive aims to ensure a high level of safety

The Toy Directive is in place to ensure that toys sold in Europe will not be harmful or pose any health risk even to small children who chew on their toys.

Entry 51 of Annex XVII of the REACH Regulation listing restrictions sets for that the phthalates DEHP? DBP and BBP “shall not be used as substances or in mixtures, in concentrations greater than 0,1 % by weight of the plasticised material, in toys and childcare articles.” Entry 52 sets forth that the phthalates DINP, DIDP and DNOP “shall not be used as substances or in mixtures, in concentrations greater than 0,1 % by weight of the plasticised material, in toys and childcare articles which can be placed in the mouth by children.”