The European Parliament recently adopted the draft of a new directive on toy safety. In other words, it was revising the existing legislation on toy safety published by the European Parliament just a little more than a year ago on 25 January 2008. In this connection, China's quality supervision, inspection and quarantine departments are reminding toy enterprises concerned to conscientiously exercise control in designing, technological processes and quality management in the light of the characteristics of their products, with special attention to the following four areas:

1. Chemical safety

Chemical safety falls into the category of material safety. Since different toys are made of different materials, their control methods also differ. Enterprises must understand the nature of the materials used in the making of their products, what testing and control are necessary for particular materials, and which materials need registration. They must clearly specify their requirements in agreements signed with suppliers, and keep records traceable. 

2. Structural safety

The new rules put stricter requirements on small toys parts which may be swallowed by children and lead to suffocation, or toys which may be put in the mouth and cause children to choke. These problems have to do with the structural design of products. European Toy Safety Standards have special requirements for these toys (such as pre-school dolls and hemispheric toys). 

3. Product labelling

The new rules put greater emphasis on warning label requirements. Enterprises processing for brand-name products probably would not have any problems with product labelling, but those processing for small importers should make an effort to learn more about warning labels to protect their own rights and interests. 

4. Product conformity assessment

Enterprises should strive to do a good job of product conformity assessment in accordance with the requirements set out in the EU's toy safety directive. Under the new rules, the EU will strengthen market monitoring in member states and member states must ensure that their market supervision authorities conduct full inspection within and outside the EU and that hazardous toys are immediately banned.