By Catherine Stihler - 8th December 2008
The importance of toys in a child’s life means that the toy industry must ensure the safety of their products
Catherine Stihler, Parliament Magazine's MEP editor
Do you remember your favourite toy? Maybe it was a teddy, a doll or Lego. Whatever it was, toys are an integral part of childhood. Toys help us to learn and some simply bring comfort and fun. The importance of toys in a child’s life means that the toy industry must ensure the safety of their products.
Sadly there is still a lot to be done and it can only be achieved by action at a European level. We will be voting on the Toys Directive just before Christmas.
At a recent lunchtime seminar hosted by Danish MEP Christel Schaldemose, the European Consumers’ Association (BEUC), and the European Association for the Coordination of Consumer Representation in Standardisation (ANEC), combined forces to illustrate the challenges ahead.
They set up four tables displaying toys bought in the EU. Although some were not technically unsafe, the products were problematic. There were fragranced toys, edible toys, toys with unclear warnings, and a selection of toys that should have undergone more rigorous testing.
The fragranced toys were interesting. Some were intended for babies. The smell of one was overpowering, what would it be like for a baby? BEUC and ANEC are calling for a ban on allergenic fragrances in toys.
BEUC and ANEC also commented that the increase in use of warning labels is being used by manufacturers as a substitute for putting safe products on the market. Some existing warning labels are difficult to see, let alone read, and are confusing. It is important to make labelling on toys clearer, comprehensible and visible.
Finally, independent third party testing is critical in order to ensure child safety. Like many others I thought that the CE mark on toys meant that these toys were either made in Europe or tested by European authorities - not so! If a manufacturer claims his product meets the harmonised European standard for toys then they can use the CE marking without having further checks or an independent test to show compliance.
So before you shop for toys this Christmas, think before you buy.
