Toy safety under the microscope: what do the new EU regulations change and what does it mean for parents?
When buying a toy for a child, we want one thing: joy, safety, and support for their development. However, it increasingly turns out that a seemingly innocent toy, purchased with the best of intentions, may contain harmful substances or fail to meet basic safety standards. That's why, in November 2025, the European Union introduced a comprehensive modernization of toy regulations, driven by the need to better protect children, especially in the face of growing online commerce and new discoveries about harmful chemicals.
In this article, we explain what exactly is changing, why these regulations were necessary, and how new solutions – including the Digital Product Passport – are intended to actually protect children and make it easier for parents to choose safe toys.
Toys among the most frequently reported dangerous products in the EU
Despite the EU having some of the strictest toy safety rules in the world, unsafe products still end up in the hands of children. Data from 2024 shows that toys ranked second among the most frequently reported unsafe non-food consumer products in the EU, accounting for 15% of all reports [1]. As recently as 2022, they topped this infamous list.
What is particularly worrying is that in almost half of the cases, the risk to the child resulted from the chemical composition of the toys – something that a parent cannot assess with the naked eye [1].
Online sales and imports from outside the EU are a new challenge for child safety.
Since the adoption of the previous directive in 2009 (2009/48/EC), the toy market has undergone significant changes. The rapid growth of online shopping and imports of products from outside the European Union have become a particular challenge . In 2023, the value of toy imports into the EU reached €6,5 billion, 80% of which came from China . The new regulations are intended to curb the influx of unsafe toys, especially in online sales.
A new era of toy safety regulation: from directive to regulation
As already mentioned, the existing rules were based on the 2009 Directive (2009/48/EC), which allowed Member States to have certain different interpretations.
Expert advises
The new regulation ensures uniform and consistent application of security regulations across the EU single market. This is a key change that aims to tighten the system.
Clean Fun – Expanding the List of Banned Chemicals in Toys
CMR SUBSTANCES AND ENDOCRINE CHEMICALS
The new regulations extend the existing ban on CMR (carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic to reproduction) substances to other chemicals deemed particularly harmful. The use of endocrine disrupting substances is also prohibited . This is crucial because early exposure to these substances can have serious, long-term health consequences.
A firm "NO" TO PFAS AND BISPHENOLAS
A ban has been introduced on the intentional use of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) , commonly referred to as "forever chemicals ," which are virtually indestructible and accumulate in human bodies. The most hazardous types of bisphenols have also been banned , except where their presence is technically unavoidable (e.g., trace amounts resulting from the manufacturing process) and does not pose a safety risk.
Expert advises
The expansion of bans on CMRs, PFAS, bisphenols and endocrine disrupting substances is a step public health experts have been waiting for for years because it covers areas that parents are unable to verify on their own.
RESPIRATORY AND SKIN PROTECTION
The new regulations also prohibit the use of substances harmful to the respiratory system and chemicals toxic to the skin and other organs.
STOP BIOCIDE
The regulation introduces a ban on deliberately treating toys with biocides (substances to control unwanted organisms), with the exception of toys intended for permanent outdoor use.
Special protection for the youngest and noise reduction
To protect the most vulnerable children, the Regulation tightens requirements for toys intended for children under 3 years of age or toys that can be placed in the mouth. The use of fragrance allergens in these products is prohibited . The use of preservatives in toys is also restricted.
Limiting noise emitted by toys
The noise standards for toys have been revised. Maximum values for impulse and continuous noise have been set to protect children's hearing. A requirement has been introduced that this noise should not exceed the lower exposure action values specified in Directive 2003/10/EC, which concerns hearing protection in an occupational context (Lower Exposure Action Value): ~80 dB(A) [2].
Comprehensive Risk Assessment: From Chemicals to Mental Health
Toy manufacturers must perform a comprehensive toy safety assessment before placing the product on the EU market. The safety assessment must cover all aspects:
- chemical,
- physical,
- mechanical,
- electric,
- combustibility,
- hygiene,
- radioactivity.
Regarding chemical hazards, manufacturers must consider known additional risks resulting from cumulative exposure to various chemicals present in a toy. This obligation is intended to increase children's protection from exposure to multiple chemicals from various sources.
New digital challenges: Toy safety in everyday use
Risk assessments should take into account the particular vulnerability of children. In the case of digital toys, it is also necessary to prevent potential threats to children's mental health . Furthermore, other EU regulations require that connected toys meet high cybersecurity standards under EU regulations.
Digital Product Passport (DPP): A new standard of transparency
All toys sold in the EU will be required to have a Digital Product Passport (DPP) . This tool improves toy traceability and confirms their compliance with relevant safety standards. The DPP will provide consumers with better and easier access to key safety information and warnings. Instead of general declarations, parents gain access to specific information: product origin, materials used, and confirmation of safety tests. This shifts the focus from marketing promises to facts – precisely what many parents expect today.
The manufacturer will be required to prepare a digital product passport for each specific toy model and store it—along with full technical documentation—for a period of 10 years from the date the toy is placed on the market . This passport must clearly refer to the product and enable its identification.
Access to the Digital Product Passport will be provided, for example, via a QR code placed on the toy packaging.
How will DPP facilitate inspections and recalls of unsafe products?
The introduction of the Digital Product Passport (DPP) is crucial for minimizing risk throughout the supply chain. This new tool aims to improve toy traceability , facilitating product inspections by customs and market surveillance authorities. As a result, it will be possible to more effectively prevent unsafe toys from entering the European Union market. Furthermore, toys that do not meet established safety standards will be classified as "illegal content" under the Digital Services Act (DSA). The ultimate goal is to reduce the number of unsafe products sold in the EU to better protect children's health.
Expert advises
From the perspective of consumer safety, the Digital Product Passport is particularly important, as it will increase the identification of toys, facilitate control and a quick response to threats.
Toys purchased online - new obligations for online stores and sales platforms
The new regulations aim to reduce the number of unsafe toys entering the EU market, particularly through online purchases. Marketplaces will be required to organize their websites so that sellers can display:
- CE marking
Guarantees compliance with EU safety, health and environmental protection standards, as well as safety warnings.
You can find more information about CE marking and other toy safety criteria in our separate article, in which we explain step by step what to look for when buying a toy to make sure it is safe for your child.
- Safety Warnings
The new regulations clearly emphasize that a manufacturer's responsibility doesn't end with the toy's ingredients. How product safety is communicated to parents becomes equally important. Safety warnings will have to be clearly marked, legible, and easy to see – even on small packaging. This is a step toward truly supporting parents in making informed purchasing decisions without having to decipher the information on the packaging.
- Link to the Digital Product Passport.
Responsibilities of manufacturers, importers, and sellers. Who is responsible for toy safety on the EU market?
The new regulations introduce and specify enhanced requirements for all economic operators—manufacturers, importers, distributors, and online platforms selling toys. If any new hazards associated with a toy emerge, manufacturers must immediately take corrective action and notify consumers and market surveillance authorities.
The new regulations also strengthen law enforcement. The introduction of the DPP will make it easier for customs and market surveillance authorities to inspect products entering the EU, thereby preventing unsafe toys from entering the market.
Importantly, the Regulation gives the European Commission the power to take action and withdraw toys from the market if new, previously unknown risks associated with a given toy emerge .
Safer Toys: When will the new regulations come into force?
Approved in November 2025, Regulation (EU) 2025/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council is the world's most stringent set of rules aimed at ensuring children can play and develop safely.
Expert advises
Implementing such extensive changes takes time. Therefore, Member States and economic operators (manufacturers, importers, and distributors) will be granted a 4,5-year transition period to fully implement and adapt to the new requirements. This means that manufacturers will have some time to plan and adapt to the new, more stringent standards. The new regulations will apply from August 1, 2030 , although some related tasks, such as notification to conformity assessment bodies, will take effect from January 1, 2026. The ultimate effectiveness of these regulations will depend on their consistent enforcement, particularly with regard to non-EU imports and sales platforms.
Summary – safer toys are an investment in your child's health
The new toy safety regulation is a clear signal that protecting the health of children has become one of the priorities of the European Union.
As Marion Walsmann, rapporteur for the European Parliament, emphasized, the new regulations are a benefit for both consumers and producers, as well as for children's futures. Thanks to them, playing with toys has a chance to remain what it should be—a safe and carefree part of growing up.
Bibliography (access to internet sources from 29.12.2025/XNUMX/XNUMX):
1. European Parliament. Toy safety: Parliament adopts new rules to enhance child health protection . (News, 25-11-2025): https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20251120IPR31494/toy-safety-parliament-adopts-new-rules-to-enhance-child-health-protection?utm_source=chatgpt.com
2. DIRECTIVE 2003/10/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 6 February 2003 on the minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from physical agents (noise) , OJ L 42, 15.2.2003, p. 38
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CONSLEG:2003L0010:20081211:PL:PDF
3. Regulation (EU) 2025/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 November 2025 on the safety of toys and repealing Directive 2009/48/EC : https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L_202502509
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