Reference documents

Toys Safety legislation

The new Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC, published on 30 June 2009, replaces the 20 year old 88/378/EEC Toy Directive.

The new Directive substantially amends the old Directive across virtually all safety aspects. In particular it brings more references on chemicals into the Directive itself by limiting the amounts of certain chemicals that may be contained in materials used for toys.

• More on the Toy Safety Directives.

Amendments

• Revision of the limit values for cadmium :
  Commission Directive 2012/7/EU of 2 March 2012 amending, for the purpose of adaptation to technical progress, part III of Annex II to Directive 2009/48/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council relating to toy safety

Guidance documents

The Commission and Member States elaborate guidance documents on the application of the Safety of Toys Directive.

Notified Bodies Recommendations

The co-ordination group of Notified Bodies under the Safety of Toys Directive (NB -TOYS) is in charge of the preparation of recommendations for voluntary application by the members of the group.

Relevant Union legislation

Toys must in all cases comply during manufacture with the relevant Union legislation. 

Roadmap

•  Commission initiative to reduce the limit values for lead in toys. [185 KB]

Reports and studies

Public Consultation 2007 on the Toys Safety Legislation :

• Background document of the 2007 Public Consultation on Toys Safety Legislation [40 KB]
• Comments provided by individual respondents [134 KB]
• Comments provided by organisations, institutions or enterprises [156 KB]
• Privacy statement [14 KB]

Studies on the impact of the revision of the Toy Safety Directives have been performed as well as reports on the chemicals used in Toys :

• Study on the Impact of the Revision of the Council Directive 88/378/EEC on the Safety of Toys - Final report [616 KB]
• Chemicals in Toys: A general methodology for assessment of chemical safety of toys with a focus on elements - RIVM report 320003001/2008
• Revision of the chemical requirements of Directive 88/378/EEC on the Safety of Toys - Final report [3 MB]

Reports on the impact of the revision of the limit values of lead in toys

• Impact of new lead migration limits on the competitiveness of European Toy manufacturers [917 KB]
• Impact assessment study on the health costs due to children’s exposure to lead via toys and on the benefits resulting from reducing such exposure [2 MB]