Stop playing games: EU gets tough on rogue toys in time for Christmas

9.17.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 25th Sep 2007

Graham Watson MEP supports EU action against rogue toys

Following this summer's recall of millions of Chinese-made kids' toys by Mattel Inc., the European Union has stepped in to get tough on manufacturers in order to prevent dangerous toys from entering the market in the lead up to Christmas.

More than 20 million Mattel toys have been recalled in recent months, including Barbies, Polly Pockets and Fisher Price characters such as 'Dora the Explorer'. Over three-quarters of these were recalled due to loose magnets, which risk being inadvertently swallowed by children, while nearly a quarter contained dangerous levels of lead.

Commenting from Strasbourg, where MEPs will today debate the issue, Graham Watson, Lib Dem MEP for the South West and Gibraltar said:

"While there might still be 91 shopping days before Christmas, toys that will sell in Europe during the festive season are already arriving in bulk from countries such as China. We need to act at the European level to wipe out bad practice, build consumer confidence in particular amongst parents, and ensure that we take no risk with the health and safety of our children."

Mattel Inc ordered three high-profile recalls this summer of millions of toys including Barbie doll accessories and toy cars because of concerns about lead paint and tiny magnets that could be swallowed. The company's own test found lead levels in paint on recalled toys as high as 200 times the accepted safety ceiling (110,000 parts per million verses 600).

In case of goods, China is the EU's number one import partner and the EU is China's number one trading partner. In 2006, China exported products with a value of € 191 billion into the EU. However in 2006, toys and electrical goods from China accounted for nearly half the products in the EU reported as being defected.

The EU last year created a roadmap, supported by both the European and Chinese toy manufacturers' associations, which contains a commitment from the Chinese authorities to strengthen inspection and supervision of toys exported to Europe.