Evaluation of directive 2009/48/EC on the safety of toys : final report

Directive 2009/48/EC on the safety of toys aims at ensuring a high level of safety for children while safeguarding the free movement of toys in the EU. This study assesses the relevance of the Directive in addressing current needs, effectiveness and efficiency of its provisions, its coherence with the EU legislative framework and the European added value. The evaluation results will be used by the European Commission to assess the need for amending the 2009 Directive and/or putting in place new/enhanced tools for its implementation. The study confirms the Directive to be an effective tool for toy safety and for the trade in the Internal Market, thanks to the introduction of strict safety standards and harmonised procedures across Member States. As for the compliance and administrative costs entailed by the Directive, they turned out to be proportionate in order to achieve the Directive's objectives. Moreover, no major overlapping or duplication related to other EU legislative instruments emerged, but rather room for improvement, particularly concerning the enforcement activities. Overall, while economic operators are generally satisfied with the current Directive, consumer associations call for stricter safety requirements, in particular in the area of chemicals. Still, the study suggests that, at this stage, both enforcement shortcomings and possible revisions asked for by consumer representatives can be addressed without a general overhaul of the Directive.