Brussels, 8 June 2011

Whether in the playground, in the classroom or at home, children are constantly surrounded by toys. It is therefore our duty to ensure them to be harmless, enabling our children to grow up in the safest possible environment.

With this in mind, CEN published EN 71-1:2011 Safety of toys - Part 1: Mechanical and physical properties. This European Standard is a new version of EN 71-1:2005 and it is the first published European Standard to take into consideration the provisions of the new Toys Safety Directive (2009/48/EC). Once listed in the Official Journal of the European Union, EN 71-1:2011 will provide presumption of conformity to the 2009/48/EC directive that will become applicable as of July 20 (with the exception of the chemical requirements).

Following a request from the European Commission, EN 71-1:2011 was developed in less than two years by CEN/TC 52 Safety of Toys experts and the CEN system took the necessary steps to ensure its fast publication.

EN 71-1:2011 specifies requirements and methods of tests for mechanical and physical properties of toys. This European Standard addresses the sector of toys for children, toys being any product or material designed or intended, whether or not exclusively, for use in play by children of less than 14 years. It also applies to new toys taking into account the period of foreseeable and normal use, and that the toys are used as intended or in a foreseeable way, bearing in mind the behavior of children.

It includes specific requirements for toys intended for children under the age of 36 months (three years old), children under 18 months and for children who are too young to sit up unaided.

This new version also encompasses requirements for toys attached to food and for packaging, furthermore requirements for aquatic toys have been extended to cover all inflatable toys. In addition, new test methods (e.g. seam test) have been introduced.

 
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