Hong Kong updates several standards for toys and children’s products, effective August 1, 2026.

China Releases an Updated National Mandatory Standard GB 18383-2025 General technical requirements for products with filling materials.

The European Committee for Standardization (Comité Européen de Normalisation, CEN) has published a new standard for microbiological safety in toys containing accessible aqueous media.

The European Union’s system for monitoring dangerous non-food products recorded a significant increase in safety alerts in 2025, reflecting both the scale of unsafe products reaching the market and the growing capacity of authorities to detect them. The European Commission announced on 5 March 2026 that, according to its latest annual report on the Safety Gate Rapid Alert System, national authorities notified 4,671 alerts during the year, the highest number since the system was established in 2003.

Updated EN 71‑1:2026 introduces major revisions, new toy requirements and clearer guidance for compliance.

Heavily import-reliant, the US toy trade has been obliged to find innovative solutions to the toll of the new tariff regime.

Star Wars, Lilo and Stitch, Bluey, Paw Patrol, Spider-Man and Mario are among the top 2026 licensed properties for global toymakers.

On 10 February 2026, Commission Implementing Regulation(EU) 2026/2 laying down rules as regards the details and format for the disclosure of information on discarded unsold consumer products was published in the EU Official Journal. The Regulation introduces new transparency obligations for economic operators that discard unsold consumer products in the EU market.

Toy packs with unknown contents, collectibles and real-world / digital crossovers were among the top trending items at the New York Toy Fair.

On 29 January 2026, the EU’s Official Journal published Commission Directive (EU) 2026/192, which amends framework Directive 2009/48/EC (the Toy Safety Directive) specifically as regards cobalt. Hong Kong toy exporters should be aware that the measure tightens the chemical safety framework for toys by addressing cobalt’s classification and permissible presence in toys and their components. It is an EEA-relevant text, meaning it is intended to be reflected across the European Economic Area. National implementation is required by late July 2026, with application from late August 2026.