The EU Toy Safety Directive EN 71 summarizes the safety standards for toy products exported to the EU market. The main purpose of establishing standards is to ensure the safety and health of children, parents, and caregivers.

The directive covers all aspects related to health and safety, such as physical, mechanical, electrical, and chemical hazards, as well as requirements for flammability, durability, small component limitations, and age appropriate labeling.

This part of the standard was included in the EU's new regulatory system in 2008, highlighting the importance of CE labeling by adopting clearer conformity assessment criteria and laboratory authorization rules, with the expectation of bringing safer and higher quality toy products to the market.

The new data released in the new EU conformity assessment guidelines have revealed many previously undiscovered product substances and their adverse effects on human health and the environment.

Under the new guidelines, EN 71 is classified into 14 categories based on toy types and safety hazards.

EN 71-1: Mechanical and physical properties

EN 71-2: Flammability

EN 71-3: Migration regulations for certain elements

EN 71-1: Mechanical and physical properties

EN 72-14: Trampoline

The additional EC directive also includes testing requirements for phthalates, lead, and cadmium substances, which also apply to toy products.

The ever-changing standards

Classifying standards facilitates industry experts to add detailed rules under corresponding categories and update and revise them from time to time, with obvious benefits.

This year, EN71-7 has added revised content on the safety of finger paint pigments, requiring label content to include more details, such as listing potentially toxic finger paint mixtures in the danger and prevention section.

When making finger painting pigments, it is prohibited to use several carcinogenic preservatives containing polyformaldehyde. The safer alternatives are butyl paraben and propyl paraben. These two types of preservatives have been recognized by the European Union Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety as safe substances for use in the production of consumer goods.

Collaborate with laboratory testing experts to achieve product compliance

The understanding and compliance of toy manufacturers or importers with new regulatory amendments, including EN 71-7:2014+A1:2017, as well as their continued focus on children's development, production innovation, and chemical research, will greatly promote the updating and iteration of toy and children's product research and development.