The European Union Approves EN 71-3:2019+A2:2024 Standard for Element Migration in Toys

The European Union has approved the EN 71-3:2019+A2:2024 "Safety of Toys - Part 3: Migration of Certain Elements" standard, which will officially take effect in 2025. Below is a summary of key information:

Approval and Publication Date

• On October 31, 2024, the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) approved the revised version, with official publication on December 4, 2024.

Effective Date and Replacement of Standards

• Approval by the European Commission is expected by June 30, 2025, at which point it will replace the current EN 71-3:2019+A1:2021 and EN 71-3:2019+A1:2021.

Standard Status and Harmonization

• This standard will become the mandatory national standard for EU member states and serve as a harmonized standard under the Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC.

Technical Changes and Testing Methods

Removed Steps: Elimination of the dewaxing step for materials containing oils, fats, waxes, etc., to avoid deviations in test results.

Element Estimation: Allows estimation of limits for trivalent chromium (Cr3?), hexavalent chromium (Cr??), and organotin based on total chromium (Cr) or total tin (Sn) migration results.

Mixed Testing Limitations: Clearly states that mixed testing may lead to result deviations and should be used with caution.

Tested Elements and Limits

• Covers 19 chemical substances, including lead, cadmium, chromium (III, VI), mercury, nickel, zinc, etc., all with strict migration limits.

Summary: This standard strengthens the safety assessment of chemical migration in toys by simplifying testing procedures and optimizing element estimation rules, representing a significant update to EU toy safety regulations.