EU: EC-type approval protocols updated for toys

February 2018- Relevant for: Toys & children's products

On 12 February 2018, European Commission (EC) has updated EC-type approval protocol No. 1 and No. 4 to align with the EC-type examination under Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC (TSD). The protocols are the agreed procedures set up by the co-ordination group of Notified Bodies which authorised to carry out third-party conformity assessment tasks to Toy Directive, and used as guidelines to help Notified Bodies carry out the EC-type examination.

The toy shall be submitted to type examination in case the harmonised standards covering all relevant safety requirements for the toy do not exist. The same shall apply if one or more such standards have been published in the OJEU with a restriction, or if the manufacturer has not followed such standards completely. The manufacturer can submit the toy to type examination in cases where it considers that the nature, design, construction or purpose of the toy requires third party verification.

Protocol No. 1 lists the categories of toys which are required type examination. It also indicates the types of toys where EC-type examination is no longer be needed according to Toy Directive. Protocol No. 4 specifies the domestic washing and drying procedures for textiles toys intended for children under 36 months provided that the toy does not contain a mechanism that may be damaged if soaked washed. The summary of the changes to these two new protocols are shown as follows:

[1] EC-Type approval protocol No. 1 (REV 6)
[2] EC-Type approval protocol No. 4 (REV 2)