Safety first when it comes to toys (North Tayside Liberal Democrats)

North Tayside Liberal Democrats <info@libdems.org.uk>

Safety first when it comes to toys

December 18, 2008 12:00 AM

Liberal Democrat MEP Elspeth Attwooll is calling for a safety first approach to toys, where all toys meet the highest safety standards before they make it to high-street shelves so that high-profile recalls become a thing of the past.

The MEP for Scotland commented after today's vote in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, in which MEPs overwhelmingly backed tough new safety rules for toys imported into the EU from places like China.

Elspeth said:

"A lot has changed since the last directive was drawn up twenty years ago. We now import the vast majority of our toys from China, and the toys themselves have continually changed to incorporate the latest technologies.

So it is only right that we bring the rules up to date. But when we do so we must make sure that they are built upon the highest of safety standards.

Only then we can bring an end to the alarming number of recalls that we have seen in recent years and rest assured that the toys under our Christmas trees are safe."

END

Notes:

New types of toy have appeared on the market since the existing EU rules on toy safety were adopted in 1988. There have also been numerous cases in recent years of dangerous toys placed on the market and then withdrawn. Among issues addressed in amendments adopted at Committee stage:

• clearer warnings on packaging, with particularly strict standards for toys aimed at children under three;

• expanded list of banned allergenic fragrances, affecting play dough and dolls;

• further restrictions on carcinogenic substances and heavy metals;

• tougher clauses on detachable parts or toys in food such as chocolate eggs;

• stricter checks under the general product safety directive to deal with the risks from toys imported from non-EU countries (currently 95% of toys imported to the UK come from China).

If agreement can be reached with the Council of Ministers, toy manufacturers would have two years to comply with the new rules, with a further two years for those standards dealing with chemicals.