Did you attend our webinar on 15^th January about the new EU Toy Regulations?

If you did, you’ll agree, it’s a LOT to take in.

If you didn’t, well, here’s your advanced warning that there’s a LOT to take in! However, if you’re already compliance savvy, once you get into the swing of things, it should be extremely beneficial, especially as we know how toys are a top competitor in the counterfeiting stakes! These new regulations will mean many more hoops for copyists to jump through along with many more ways for authorities to intercept their products and isolate them at source.

Some key things to know:

• The regulation will come into effect in 2030. That may feel a long way off but to be forewarned is to be forearmed. The sooner you prepare, the better. There are some aspects expected to arise sooner, such as to EN71-1, so make sure you’re up to speed.
• As the Regulation is a piece of legislation, it is available to download for free: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2025/2509/oj/eng
• Northern Ireland follows EU regulations, so it will apply there too.
• The regulations will include provisions for AI and cybersecurity.
• Online marketplaces will need to ensure their sellers can explicitly display the CE marking; any relevant safety warnings and a method of accessing the digital product passport (DPP).
• DPP’s will replace the current Declarations of Conformity (DoC’s) and will be significantly more detailed. There will also be some costs involved in these. However, they are expected to give a far more stringent and publicly available audit trail of compliance and safety. This should both allow easier enforcement against counterfeits as well as educating the public on the risks of buying cheap copies.
• An explanatory document for lone, micro and SME’s isn’t expected until 2029…so get ahead with reading up on what you can now.

What changes to testing are afoot?

• EN71-1, which applies to Mechanical and Physical aspects, will include changes to noise, mouthing toys and toys that could be considered resembling food, and lots with labelling, as well as DPP requirements and communicating complaints procedures.
• EN71-3, Toxicity and Chemical aspects, will see a significant reduction in thresholds for certain chemicals, and changes depending on product type and intended age range of the product.

What about the UK?

• Though the UK follows EN71 regulations, these changes are currently not expected to apply to the UK.
• DPP’s are more than likely going to land in the UK, so it’s worth getting to grips with how they work. Not just for toys, but at some point they’ll likely affect all products.

What should I do next?

• If you’re an ACID member designing and/or manufacturing toys and you didn’t make the webinar, watch the recording now.
• Whether you’re in the toy industry or not, now would also be an excellent time to refresh your memory on The General Product Safety Regulations (GPSR) by watching the webinar recording from 2025.
• If you have any questions, or if you’re not an ACID member and would like to know more, or be signposted to resources and support, contact [email protected]
• Keep an eye out for future events, webinars and comms!

Note: this summary is designed to give you points to think about and should not be taken as official regulatory advice.