Welcome to the European Parliamentary Research Service Podcasts.

The European Commission wants to better protect kids by ensuring that toys made available on

the market are safe. But how is it going to do that? Stay with us.

Toys sold in the EU market are already among the safest in the world, but the European

Commission wants to take safety one step further.

So where's the problem now?

Currently, toys are regulated by an EU directive laying down the safety requirements they

must meet to be sold in the single market, regardless of where they've

been manufactured. However, besides shortcomings in the implementation of the directive,

technological developments also create new opportunities and risks that should be addressed.

For instance, despite the current requirements, toys posing a risk to children are still for sale in the EU.

So current EU rules need to be better implemented and enforced, especially when it comes to online sales, to prevent loopholes.

So how is the EU going to step up protection against unsafe toys?

The Commission's proposal pursues two main objectives.

The first is to increase toy safety, including protection from harmful chemicals in toys.

The second is to strengthen enforcement to ensure that only safe toys are sold in the EU.

Now let's walk you through the fine print.

In relation to the first objective, the proposal extends the current ban on substances classified

as carcinogenic, mutagenic and toxic for reproduction to include endocrine disruptors.

These are chemicals that affect the endocrine system, as well as chemicals that are toxic

to a specific organ or affect the immuneocrine system, as well as chemicals that are toxic to a specific organ,

or affect the immune, neurological or respiratory system.

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