Certification and Registration
Compliance Plan for Toys Exported to the European Union
Category:
Compliance Plan for Toys Exported to the European Union
The European Union Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC specifies the safety requirements that toy products must meet before being placed on the EU market.The primary objective of this directive is to protect the health and safety of children, parents, and caregivers. It addresses various safety risks, including physical, mechanical, electrical, and chemical hazards, as well as flammability, durability, small parts, and age-related labeling requirements.
The EU Toy Safety Directive was issued in 2009 and entered into force in two stages, with physical requirements becoming effective in July 2011 and chemical requirements becoming effective in July 2013. From product design and manufacturing to finished products entering the market, toys must meet and demonstrate compliance with a comprehensive set of safety requirements.
EN 71 Toy Standards
The EN 71 series consists of harmonized standards under the Toy Safety Directive, specifying safety requirements for toys.Toys manufactured in or imported into the European Union must undergo relevant testing and comply with applicable EN 71 requirements.
The EN 71 series contains 13 parts, covering various aspects of toys and children’s products, including physical and mechanical properties, flammability, chemical requirements, and finger paints.The following are the main EN 71 standards:
EN 71-1 Safety of Toys - Part 1: Mechanical and Physical Properties
EN 71-2 Safety of toys; Part 2: Flammability of toys
EN 71-3 Safety of toys - Part 3: Migration of certain elements
EN 71-4 Safety of toys - Part 4: Experimental sets for chemistry and related activities
EN 71-5 Safety of toys - Part 5: Chemical toys (sets) other than experimental sets
EN 71-6 Safety of Toys - Part 6: Graphical Symbol for Age Warning Labelling
EN 71-7 Safety of toys - Part 7: Finger paints - Requirements and test methods
EN 71-8 Safety of toys - Part 8: Activity toys for domestic use
EN 71-9 Safety of toys - Part 9: Organic chemical compounds - Requirements
EN 71-10 Safety of toys - Part 10: Organic chemical compounds - Sample preparation and extraction
EN 71-11 Safety of toys - Part 11: Organic chemical compounds - Methods of analysis
EN 71-12 Safety of toys - Part 12: N-Nitrosamines and N-nitrosatable substances
EN 71-13 Safety of toys - Part 13: Olfactory board games@ cosmetic kits and gustative games
EN 71-2 specifies flammability requirements and test methods for toys, including plush toys and materials used in toys.Certain plush toys may also need to comply with EN 71-3, which specifies migration limits for certain elements in toys.
Applicable Standards:
EN 71-1 Safety of Toys - Part 1: Mechanical and Physical Properties
EN 71-2 Safety of toys; Part 2: Flammability of toys
EN 71-3 Safety of toys - Part 3: Migration of certain elements
Wooden Toys
To place wooden toys on the EU market, manufacturers and importers must ensure compliance with the Toy Safety Directive, especially EN 71-3: Migration of Certain Elements.Wooden toys may contain harmful substances originating from surface coatings, paints, or other materials. Potential hazards include excessive levels of formaldehyde, lead, colorants, flame retardants, benzidine, VOCs, and PAHs.
These substances may pose risks to infants and children, including potential impacts on neurological development and reproductive health.
Applicable Standards:
EN 71-1 Safety of Toys - Part 1: Mechanical and Physical Properties
EN 71-3 Safety of toys - Part 3: Migration of certain elements
Educational Toys
Educational toys are designed to encourage learning and support children’s cognitive and emotional development.Common examples include alphabet blocks, puzzles, musical instruments, and electronic educational products such as voice-controlled robots and remote-controlled robots.
Due to the wide variety of educational toys available on the market, different products may be subject to different EN 71 requirements. Applicable standards may include:
EN 71-1 Safety of Toys - Part 1: Mechanical and Physical Properties
EN 71-2 Safety of toys; Part 2: Flammability of toys
EN 71-3 Safety of toys - Part 3: Migration of certain elements
EN 71-5 Safety of toys - Part 5: Chemical toys (sets) other than experimental sets
EN 71-6 Safety of Toys - Part 6: Graphical Symbol for Age Warning Labelling
EN 71-7 Safety of toys - Part 7: Finger paints - Requirements and test methods
Chemical Experimental Sets
EN 71-4: Experimental Sets for Chemistry and Related Activities specifies safety requirements for chemical experiment sets and related activities.The standard aims to minimize potential risks and health hazards to children during use. It specifies requirements for the maximum quantity and concentration limits of certain substances and mixtures used in chemical experimental sets.
Applicable Standard:
EN 71-4 Safety of toys - Part 4: Experimental sets for chemistry and related activities
Children’s Finger Paints
EN 71-7: Finger Paints specifies requirements for substances, materials, and labeling of finger paint products intended for children.The standard addresses restricted or prohibited substances in finger paints, including nitrosamines and aromatic amines (PAA) that may be present in powdered materials.Finger paints should have an unpleasant taste and odor to discourage children from licking, swallowing, or inhaling the product.
EN 71-7 also requires finger paint products to include warning labels to ensure safe use, such as:“Children under [age] should be supervised by an adult.”“Mix with water as directed.”
Applicable Standard:
EN 71-7 Safety of toys - Part 7: Finger paints - Requirements and test methods
Electronic Toys
If you plan to import electronic toys, such as remote-controlled cars and other electronic devices, additional safety requirements may apply, including:EMC, LVD, RED, and RoHSThese requirements apply in addition to EN 71 and other applicable toy safety regulations.
Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive (EMC)
The Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive (EMC) regulates electromagnetic emissions from electronic devices to ensure that electronic toys do not interfere with other electronic or electrical equipment.The directive may apply to components such as batteries, AC adapters, and other electronic parts used in toys.
Low Voltage Directive (LVD)
The Low Voltage Directive (LVD) applies to electrical products, including electronic toys.If an electronic toy operates within an input or output voltage range of 50–1000 V AC or 75–1500 V DC, it must comply with LVD requirements.
Radio Equipment Directive (RED)
The Radio Equipment Directive (RED) applies to products equipped with wireless communication functions.If a toy includes wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi, RFID, Bluetooth, 3G, LTE, or 5G, it may fall within the scope of the RED requirements.
RoHS Directive
The Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS) restricts the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic products.
Restricted substances include:
Lead (Pb)
Mercury (Hg)
Cadmium (Cd)
Hexavalent Chromium (Cr6+)
Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB)
Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE)
Bis(2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate (DEHP)
Benzyl Butyl Phthalate (BBP)
Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)
Diisobutyl Phthalate (DIBP)
These restricted substances may be present in materials such as paints, batteries, and metal components of electronic toys.
Swing, slide, and trampoline
EN 71-8 specifies safety requirements for children’s activity toys, including swings, slides, ladders, seesaws, merry-go-rounds, and water play pools.The standard covers requirements related to assembly, stability, static strength, maximum height of certain components, sharp corners and edges, protruding parts, and other product safety requirements.
Applicable Standards:
EN 71-8 Safety of toys - Part 8: Activity toys for domestic use
EN 71-14 Safety of toys -- Part 14: Trampolines for domestic use
CE Logo
Products covered by EN 71 must bear the CE marking.The CE marking indicates that toy products comply with applicable EU safety requirements. The CE marking must be permanently affixed to the product, packaging, and user instructions.
Declaration of Conformity (DoC)
Importers or manufacturers are required to provide a Declaration of Conformity (DoC) containing the following information:
◉ Product Labeling / SKU
◉ Applicable EN 71 Standards or Directive List
◉ Product Characteristics
◉ Location
◉ Manufacturer / Importer Name and Address
◉ Responsible Person
The DoC is an important document commonly requested by customs authorities, market surveillance authorities, retailers, and distributors.The DoC must be supported by valid test reports demonstrating compliance with applicable EN 71 standards and regulations.
REACH
REACH applies to all consumer products, including toys sold in the European Union.REACH restrictions address the use of hazardous substances, including chemicals, heavy metals, and other harmful substances in consumer products.
Toys and other products imported or sold in the EU that do not comply with REACH requirements are considered non-compliant.
Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC)
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) regularly updates the SVHC Candidate List by adding new substances.Importers are not required to review the list continuously. Instead, third-party testing organizations can verify whether products comply with the latest substance requirements.
WEEE Symbol
The WEEE symbol indicates that waste electrical and electronic equipment must be collected separately.Products covered by the WEEE Directive, including electronic toys, must display this symbol.
Directive 94/62/EC: Packaging Regulations
When importing toys into the European Union, manufacturers and importers must also comply with packaging material requirements.Directive 94/62/EC restricts the content of heavy metals, including lead, mercury, chromium, and cadmium, in packaging materials placed on the EU market.
Previous page
Related Information
SATISFY TECH AND SERVICE LLC
SATISFY TECH AND SERVICE LLC delivers full-lifecycle technical solutions for children’s products, hygiene care, protective equipment, furniture, and building materials. Our framework spans compliance pre-assessment, standard upgrading, and risk control. We empower manufacturers and exporters through expert testing, certification, consulting, and standards interpretation.
Contact Us
Address: Room 7D, Building A, Zhongzhou Holdings Financial Center, No. 88 Haide 1st Road, Haizhu Community, Yuehai Subdistrict, Nanshan District, Shenzhen
Phone: 0755-8273-9683
Mobile: 189-2676-2893
Email: info@sdswcn.com
Sales Window
WeChat Applet