EC Publishes Toy Safety Regulation (Reg.(EU) 2025/2509)

On December 12, 2025, the European Commission (EC) published Regulation (EU) 2025/2509  on the safety of toys and repealing Directive 2009/48/EC.

This regulation lays down rules on the safety of toys to support a high level of protection for children’s health and safety, considering the precautionary principle, and rules on the free movement of toys within the European Union.

This Regulation enters into force on Jan. 1 2026 and becomes applicable from Aug. 1, 2030. Until then, products may be placed on the market under the existing European Toy Safety Directive. Certain provisions, such as notification of conformity assessment bodies, delegated powers and committee procedures, confidentiality and penalties, apply from Jan. 1, 2026, allowing the European Commission to adopt secondary delegated acts in support of the new Toy Safety Regulation.

The new law will be a regulation instead of a directive without the need of any national localization. It clarifies and introduces stronger requirements for economic operators, with additional dedicated articles outlining obligations for fulfillment service providers and online marketplaces. The main impactful requirements are:

• Adaptive toys for children with disabilities are included in the scope.
• Ban on bisphenols, PFAS, CMR , endocrine disruptors, specific target organ toxicity, respiratory and skin sensitizers.
• Expansion of restrictions in the former App. C to all toys.
• Expansion of restriction for nitrosamines to slimes and putties.
• Ban and lowered limits for fragrances.
• Migration limits set for acrylonitrile, butadiene, styrene, and vinyl chloride to reduce exposure risks.
• Toys must not be biocidal products or treated articles under the EU BPR Regulation (EU) 528/2012 (except for toys intended to be permanently placed outdoors).
• Visibility of warnings, which includes requirements on minimum letter height and contrast between printed warnings and the background to enhance legibility.
• New warning symbol to avoid having to translate to all languages of Member States.
• A Digital Product Passport (DPP) will be required for all toys and will include the Declaration of Conformity. The aim of the DPP is to enhance transparency for consumers and to make safety information directly available ito simplify market surveillance checks.
• Need to assess digitally connected toys and toys using artificial intelligence (AI) taking into account mental health.
• If small batteries are present in the toy, the batteries cannot be accessed without the use of a tool. If the battery is rechargeable, it can be inaccessible and can only be removed or replaced by an independent professional.

In addition, the EU Commission shall request an opinion from the European Chemicals Agency on the safety of nitrosamines and nitrosatable substances in toys, as well as on the safety of lead, cadmium, mercury, and chromium VI in toys.

UL Solutions is here to help you navigate the new European Toy Safety Regulation. We offer targeted training on the latest regulatory changes, and our experts actively participate in working groups to provide timely updates as new standards emerge.

We are also expanding our services to support Digital Product Passport (DPP) requirements and safety assessments for digitally connected toys. Once the new technical standards are published, our specialized laboratories will deliver comprehensive testing solutions—including chemical, mechanical, flammability, microbiological, and electrical safety evaluations.

Contact us to learn more about our current testing capabilities, such as PFAS analysis, and discover how UL Solutions can support your compliance and product safety goals.

Source

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L_202502509