EU Unveils New Toy Safety Regulation: What You Need to Know (2026 Update)

On 12 December 2025, the European Union published Regulation (EU) 2025/2509 on the safety of toys in the Official Journal of the EU — ushering in the most significant overhaul of EU toy safety law in over a decade.

This new Regulation replaces the old Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC and moves toy safety law from a directive (requiring national implementation) to a directly applicable Regulation across all Member States.

The new Regulation aims to reduce unsafe toys on the EU market by strengthening safety standards, expanding chemical restrictions, and improving enforcement and market surveillance.

Broader and Clearer Scope

The Regulation applies to all products designed or intended for play by children under 14, including toys with digital functions, connectivity, or AI features. Certain items, such as public playground equipment, are excluded.

Stronger Chemical Safety Rules

• Expanded bans on hazardous substances including endocrine disruptors, certain PFAS, and other toxic chemicals.

• Compliance must consider combined exposure risks, not just individual chemical risks.

• Stricter limits on nitrosamines, formaldehyde, and other substances known to pose risks to children.

These updates reflect modern scientific understanding of chemical hazards and children’s vulnerability.

More Comprehensive Safety Requirements

• Maximum noise levels are set for toys that produce sound.

• Physical and mechanical safety requirements are strengthened to prevent choking, suffocation, and injury.

Digital Product Passport (DPP)

• Replaces the traditional EU Declaration of Conformity.

• Provides accessible data on toy compliance.

• Improves traceability, market surveillance, and transparency across the supply chain.

These measures help authorities, retailers, and consumers access safety and compliance data digitally.

Alignment with Wider EU Safety Law

The toy safety framework is now aligned with the General Product Safety Regulation (EU 2023/988), enhancing rules for online marketplaces, reporting, and rapid alerts.

Manufacturers, importers, and distributors will need to:

• Update technical documentation and conformity assessments.

• Comply with new chemical and safety thresholds.

• Implement and disclose Digital Product Passports.

These changes affect product testing, labelling, and supply-chain transparency.

The EU Toy Safety Regulation (EU 2025/2509) modernizes toy safety law in Europe. It introduces stricter chemical controls, enhanced safety performance requirements, digital traceability, and greater harmonization across the EU market — all designed to better protect children and make compliance easier for businesses.