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Toy safety directive

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  Directive

Toy safety Directive (2009/48/EC)

  Scope

1. This Directive shall apply to products designed or intended, whether or not exclusively, for use in play by children under 14 years of age (hereinafter referred to as toys).

The products listed in Annex I shall not be considered as toys within the meaning of this Directive.

2. This Directive shall not apply to the following toys:

(a) playground equipment intended for public use;

(b) automatic playing machines, whether coin operated or not, intended for public use;

(c) toy vehicles equipped with combustion engines;

(d) toy steam engines; and

(e) slings and catapults.

ANNEX I

List of products that, in particular, are not considered as toys within the meaning of this Directive (as referred to in Article 2(1))

1. Decorative objects for festivities and celebrations

2. Products for collectors, provided that the product or its packaging bears a visible and legible indication that it is intended for collectors of 14 years of age and above. Examples of this category are:

(a) detailed and faithful scale models;

(b) kits for the assembly of detailed scale models;

(c) folk dolls and decorative dolls and other similar articles;

(d) historical replicas of toys; and

(e) reproductions of real fire arms.

3. Sports equipment, including roller skates, inline skates, and skateboards intended for children with a body mass of more than 20 kg

4. Bicycles with a maximum saddle height of more than 435 mm, measured as the vertical distance from the ground to the top of the seat surface, with the seat in a horizontal position and with the seat pillar set to the minimum insertion mark

5. Scooters and other means of transport designed for sport or which are intended to be used for travel on public roads or public pathways

6. Electrically driven vehicles which are intended to be used for travel on public roads, public pathways, or the pavement thereof

7. Aquatic equipment intended to be used in deep water, and swimming learning devices for children, such as swim seats and swimming aids

8. Puzzles with more than 500 pieces

9. Guns and pistols using compressed gas, with the exception of water guns and water pistols, and bows for archery over 120 cm long

10. Fireworks, including percussion caps which are not specifically designed for toys

11. Products and games using sharp-pointed missiles, such as sets of darts with metallic points

12. Functional educational products, such as electric ovens, irons or other functional products operated at a nominal voltage exceeding 24 volts which are sold exclusively for teaching purposes under adult supervision

13. Products intended for use for educational purposes in schools and other pedagogical contexts under the surveillance of an adult instructor, such as science equipment

14. Electronic equipment, such as personal computers and game consoles, used to access interactive software and their associated peripherals, unless the electronic equipment or the associated peripherals are specifically designed for and targeted at children and have a play value on their own, such as specially designed personal computers, key boards, joy sticks or steering wheels

15. Interactive software, intended for leisure and entertainment, such as computer games, and their storage media, such as CDs

16. Babies’ soothers

17. Child-appealing luminaires

18. Electrical transformers for toys

19. Fashion accessories for children which are not for use in play

  Description

The Directive lays down the safety criteria that toys must meet before they can be marketed in the EU. Toys must also comply with any other EU legislation applicable to them. The essential safety requirements cover:

  • General risks: the health and safety of children, as well as other people such as parents or caregivers
  • Particular risks: physical and mechanical, flammability, chemical, electrical, hygiene and radioactivity risks
The Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC replaced the former Directive 88/378/EEC. It adapted the legal framework to technological developments and previously unknown safety issues. The application and enforcement are aligned with the so-called 'New Legislative Framework'.

The new Directive had to be transposed by the EU Member States into their national legislation by 20 January 2011 and has applied since 20 July 2011. The chemical safety requirements have applied since 20 July 2013.

  Harmonised standards

EN 71-2:2011/A1:2014 Safety of toys - Part 2: Flammability
EN 71-4:2013 Safety of toys - Part 4: Experimental sets for chemistry and related activities
EN 71-5:2015 Safety of toys - Part 5: Chemical toys (sets) other than experimental sets
EN 71-12:2013 Safety of toys - Part 12: N-Nitrosamines and N-nitrosatable substances
EN 71-13:2014 Safety of toys - Part 13: Olfactory board games, cosmetic kits and gustative games
EN 62115:2005/A12:2015 Electric toys - Safety
EN 71-1:2014+A1:2018 Safety of toys - Part 1: Mechanical and physical properties
EN 71-2:2011+A1:2014 Safety of toys - Part 2: Flammability
EN 71-7:2014+A2:2018 Safety of toys - Part 7: Finger paints - Requirements and test methods
EN 71-8:2018 Safety of toys - Part 8: Activity toys for domestic use
Show all the standards...
EN 71-2:2011/A1:2014
Safety of toys - Part 2: Flammability
EN 71-4:2013
Safety of toys - Part 4: Experimental sets for chemistry and related activities
EN 71-5:2015
Safety of toys - Part 5: Chemical toys (sets) other than experimental sets
EN 71-12:2013
Safety of toys - Part 12: N-Nitrosamines and N-nitrosatable substances
EN 71-13:2014
Safety of toys - Part 13: Olfactory board games, cosmetic kits and gustative games
EN 62115:2005/A12:2015
Electric toys - Safety
EN 71-1:2014+A1:2018
Safety of toys - Part 1: Mechanical and physical properties
EN 71-2:2011+A1:2014
Safety of toys - Part 2: Flammability
EN 71-7:2014+A2:2018
Safety of toys - Part 7: Finger paints - Requirements and test methods
EN 71-8:2018
Safety of toys - Part 8: Activity toys for domestic use
Show all the standards...

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