Strasbourg (dpa)
The European Parliament on Tuesday approved stricter guidelines for the sale of children's toys in the European Union. Under the new legislation, certain chemicals will be banned and more obligations will be imposed on online marketplaces with the aim to better protect children in the EU from unsafe toys.
A key component of the new requirements is a digital product passport, which every toy sold in the EU will have to have in the future.
This passport is to contain relevant safety information that can be accessed via a QR code, allowing consumers and customs authorities to easily check whether toys comply with the requirements.
Additionally, the list of banned substances in toys will be expanded.
The new requirements will prohibit endocrine disruptors - substances that affect the hormone system - and the deliberate use of so-called forever chemicals, or PFAS, which are persistent chemicals that can accumulate in the environment and the body.
Biocides may only be used if toys are expressly intended for outdoor use.
The new EU law still has to be adopted by the member states which is considered a formality.
Once officially adopted, there will be a transition period of 4.5 years to allow the industry to implement the new requirements.
The regulations are therefore not expected to take effect until 2029 at the earliest.