A new Toy Safety Regulation will enter into force on 1 January 2026, following its adoption by the European Parliament and the Council.
The regulation strengthens children’s protection from harmful chemicals in toys and improves enforcement of EU toy safety rules, the Directorate-General for Internal Market of the EU has said, in an announcement on the EU official website.
Under the regulation, substances will be banned from toys as soon as they are identified as hazardous, including chemicals that disrupt hormones, harm the lungs, cause skin allergies, or damage specific organs. The ban also covers per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and bisphenols. The new rules also strengthen the existing ban on substances that can cause cancer, genetic damage or harm reproduction (carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic substances).
Enforcement will be enhanced through digital tools. All toys placed on the EU market will be required to have a digital product passport containing safety and compliance information, accessible to consumers online via a QR code or other data carrier. For toys sold online and imported into the EU, customs authorities will be able to check the product passport.
The new rules will apply from 1 August 2030.