EU lifts ban on Chinese toys as safety confirmed
In a summer of recalls, toxic levels of lead and faulty parts, including loose magnets, forced manufacturers to take more than 20 million Chinese made toys off the market.
While manufacturers like Mattel admitted they were to blame for some of the design faults, the EU said Chinese officials were not taking complaints seriously enough.
But the EU’s Consumer Commissioner Maglena Kuneva said the latest report shows the Chinese administration had made a significant effort to follow up on 268 complaints.
“Let me be clear, there is still much work to be done to step up the quality and quantity of enforcement actions over the long term.
“But our Chinese counterparts are starting to deliver seriously on their commitments, after a patient and long-term work, both at technical and political level,” she said.
This includes banning 93, or a third, of the goods that were subject to complaints. Europe is the second largest market for toys after the US, with about 52% coming from China.
Fine Gael MEP for Ireland South Colm Burke welcomed the review and said he expected Irish consumers would be reassured as they prepare to spend an average of €1,431 each on Christmas shopping over the next month.
Ms Kuneva promised to continue the job of ensuring toys are safe that will include looking at every stage of the toy supply chain from design to delivery.
Ms Kuneva said EU legislation in place on toy safety was up to the job, but that it was not being properly implemented and this would have to be improved.
She also wants member states to put in place a system of tracing where all goods and their parts come from. Industry has agreed to work on this over the coming months and on a range of measures to improve confidence in the sector.
About half of all dangerous consumer goods over the past year — including toys referred to the EU’s rapid alert system — had come from China.
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