November 18, 2014
The European Commission (EC) has requested that Germany urgently update its laws to comply with EU toy legislation so that it applies the EU rules on limit values for levels of arsenic, mercury and antimony in toys.
Germany does not want to enact the EU laws on limits for certain substances in toys as it claims that they give less protection than the current German laws. However, the Commission considers that EU's Toy Safety Directive offers better protection as it is based on the latest scientific developments and incorporates a modern and coherent approach to manage the chemical risks to which children could be exposed through toys.
If the relevant German legislation is not brought into compliance with the Toy Safety Directive within two months, the Commission may refer the matter to the EU Court of Justice.