Directive 2009/48/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2009 on the safety of toys.

Directive 2009/48/EC was issued on 18 June 2009 and came into effect on 20 July 2009. Member states were required to adopt and publish the national laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this directive by 29 June 2011.

The basic safety requirement of this directive is: when toys are used by children as intended or in a foreseeable manner, taking into account the behavior of children, they must not compromise the safety or health of users or third parties. After toys are placed on the market, taking into account foreseeable and normal periods of use, they must comply with the safety and health conditions set out in this directive.

The European Toy Safety Directive covers a series of safety requirements, mainly including the mechanical and physical properties, flammability, electrical safety, and migration of specific elements of toys.

Safety requirements of the Toy Safety Directive:

Safety requirements for migration of specific elements include limits on the release of 8 soluble harmful elements: lead, arsenic, barium, chromium, cadmium, mercury, selenium, antimony, as well as limits on the content of chemical substances such as formaldehyde, plasticizers, and azo dyes. The directive strictly prohibits the presence of dangerous substances or preparations in toys under any circumstances. The migration limits for the 8 soluble harmful elements (lead, arsenic, barium, chromium, cadmium, mercury, selenium, antimony) are specified.

The directive also specifies the types of conformity assessment, the basis for conformity assessment, surveillance measures, and the requirements to be adopted by member states for toy conformity assessment.

II. Which products are covered by the Toy Safety Directive (2009/48/EC)?

This directive applies to products designed or intended, whether or not exclusively, for use in play by children under 14 years of age (referred to as "toys"). The following criteria are provided to determine whether a product falls within the scope of the directive:

a. Any product or material designed or intended, whether or not exclusively, for use in play by children under 14 years of age.

b. The term "whether or not exclusively" means that the product does not have to be exclusively intended for play to be considered a toy; it may also have other functions.

III. Which products are not covered by the Toy Safety CE Certification Directive (2009/48/EC)?

This directive does 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 with internal combustion engines; toy steam engines;

d. Slings and catapults.