CEN Issues EN 71-3:2019+A2:2024 ‘Migration of Certain Elements’

SG 181/24

CEN has published amendment 2 to EN 71-3:2019 for the migration of certain elements from toys. Conflicting national standards are to be withdrawn by June 2025.

On December 4, 2024, the European Committee for Standardization (Comité Européen de Normalisation, CEN) published EN 71-3:2019+A2:2024, the new toy safety standard for the migration of 19 elements. This new standard contains several important changes when compared to its previous version, EN 71-3:2019+A1:2021. These include:

• Introducing the following documents as part of the EN 71 series of standards on toy safety:
• EN 71-15 ‘Formamide in foam toy materials (content)
• EN 71-16 ‘Certain chlorinated phosphorus flame retardants (TCEP, TCPP, TDCP) in toy materials
• EN 71-17 ‘Certain isothiazolinones (MIT, CIT, BIT) in aqueous toy materials
• EN 71-18 ‘Phenol in aqueous (content) and polymeric (migration) toy materials
• EN 71-19 ‘Migration of bisphenol A from toy materials’

• Indicating the use of CEN/TS 17973:2023 ‘Safety of toys - Categorization of slime type materials’, a technical specification document to support the categorization of products with slime-like properties into category 1 (dry-brittle, powder-like or pliable) or category 2 (liquid or sticky) toy materials (SafeGuardS 153/23)
• Stressing that test portions must not be composed of more than one toy material, unless discreet specimens cannot be physically separated, such as dot printing, patterned textiles and multi-colored printed surfaces
• Omitting slime as an example of a category II toy material
• Removing the dewaxing step as part of the sampling procedure as it, inter alia, was often unclear whether to apply this approach and experience has shown that the use of this step significantly affected the reproducibility of test results
• Emphasizing that the analysis of composite testing is not described and cannot be used without modifying the test methods. This approach can be useful for raw material checks as well as screening purposes or pre-test of materials
• Detailing the rationale for the presumption of material compliance with both chromium (III) and chromium (VI) when determining total chromium migration
• Providing a rationale for the determination of tin in migration solutions on the presence of certain tin compounds

According to EN 71-3:2019+A2:2024, this standard will be given the status of a national standard by June 2025 and conflicting national standards are to be withdrawn by this date at the latest. This standard is expected to be harmonized under Directive 2009/48/EC on toy safety upon official acceptance by the European Commission and by publication in the Official Journal of the EU (OJEU).

With a global network of toy laboratories, and EU Notified Bodies for toys in France and Germany, we can help you to ensure full compliance with the EU Toy Safety Directive. Our toy laboratories are internationally recognized by accreditation bodies and strategically located in key global manufacturing zones and transit points. Whatever European country your toy is to be sold in, we can help you ensure compliance with applicable requirements. Contact us to find out more or visit our website. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested.