CEN Publishes EN 71 Parts 15 to 17 for Certain Toys

SafeGuardSToys and Juvenile ProductsMarch 26, 2025

SG 048/25

The European Committee for Standardization (Comité Européen de Normalisation, CEN) has issued three new test methods for several chemicals in certain toys or toy materials. These European standards must be adopted as national standards no later than August 2025.

Appendix C of Annex II to Directive 2009/48/EC on toy safety (Toy Safety Directive (TSD), current consolidated version to December 2022) restricts 12 chemicals in toys intended for children under 36 months, or other toys intended to be placed in the mouth. The restrictions on some chemicals apply only to specific materials in these categories of toys.

In February 2025, the CEN published three new standards for the determination of formamide content, three flame retardants and four preservatives in toys or toy materials listed in Appendix C of the TSD:

EN 71-15:2025 ‘Formamide in foam toy materials (content)’
EN 71-16:2025 ‘Certain chlorinated phosphorus flame retardants (TCEP, TCPP, TDCP) in toy materials
EN 71-17:2025 ‘Certain isothiazolinones (MIT, CIT, BIT) in aqueous toy materials

They are now a part of the EN 71 series of standards for toy safety, which includes EN 71 Parts 1-5, 7, 8 and 10-20.

Highlights of these three new standards are summarized in Table 1.

	EN 71-15:2025¹^,²	EN 71-16:2025¹^,²	EN 71-17:2025¹^,²
Title	Formamide in foam toy materials (content)	Certain chlorinated phosphorus flame retardants (TCEP, TCPP, TDCP) in toy materials	Certain isothiazolinones (MIT, CIT, BIT) in aqueous toy materials
Scope of toys intended for children under 36 months, or other toys intended to be placed in the mouth	Foam materials	Toy materials	Aqueous materials
Substance	Formamide	TCEP, TCPP and TDCP	BIT, 3:1 mixture of CIT and MIT, CIT and MIT
Method	Two-step solvent extraction followed by instrumentation	Solvent extraction followed by instrumentation	Solvent extraction followed by instrumentation
Requirement³	≤ 200 mg/kg, otherwise ≤ 20 µg/m³ emission after 28 days	≤ 5 mg/kg each of TCEP, TCPP and TDCP	≤ 5 mg/kg (BIT) ≤ 1 mg/kg (3:1 mixture of CIT and MIT) ≤ 0.75 mg/kg (CIT) ≤ 0.25 mg/kg (MIT)
¹Standard will be given the status of a national standard by August 2025 and conflicting national standards are to be withdrawn by this date at the latest ²Expected to be harmonized under TSD upon official acceptance by the European Commission and publication in the Official Journal of the EU (OJEU) ³Restriction limits are currently in force

Table 1

Item	Abbreviation	Name	CAS
1	3:1 mixture of CIT and MIT	Reaction mass of: 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one and 2-methyl-2H -isothiazol-3-one (3:1)	55965-84-9
2	BIT	1,2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one	2634-33-5
3	CIT	5-chloro-2-methyl-isothiazolin-3(2H)-one	26172-55-4
4	MIT	2-methylisothiazolin-3(2H)-one	2682-20-4
5	TCEP	tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate	15-96-8
6	TCPP	tris(2-chloro-1-methylethyl) phosphate	13674-84-5
7	TDCP	tris[2-chloro-1-(chloromethyl)ethyl] phosphate	13674-87-8

Please also see our updated overview on EU toys standards to be revised in 2025 (SafeGuardS 016/25)

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 are strategically located in key manufacturing zones and transit points worldwide. No matter in which European country your toy is to be sold, SGS can help you comply with all applicable requirements. Protect children and your brand by contracting SGS to ensure that your toys meet the complex requirements of the EU Toy Safety Directive. Contact us to find out more or visit our website. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested.

^{© SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA. This publication or website is a property of SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA. All contents including website designs, text, and graphics contained herein are owned by or licensed to SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA. The information provided is for technical and general information purposes only and offers no legal advice. The information is no substitute for professional legal advice to ensure compliance with the applicable laws and regulations. All information is provided in good faith “as is”, and SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA makes no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, and does not warrant that the information will be error-free or meet any particular criteria of performance or quality.}