Statement on the Adoption of the Toy Safety Regulation

The European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) welcomes the provisional agreement between the Council and European Parliament on the Toy Safety Regulation, which took place on 10 April 2025. Both institutions are expected to officially adopt the agreed text soon.

Under the new regulation, specific harmful chemicals will be banned, including known or suspected endocrine disruptors for humans or for the environment. This list includes 10 of the most toxic bisphenols and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). For the latter, an exemption has been made for toy components necessary for electronic or electric functions where the substance is not accessible to children (e.g., an inner part of a toy that cannot be taken apart).

While ESPE experts explicitly called for group bans for PFAS as well as bisphenols due to their proven harm to children’s health and well-being, ESPE welcomes the current compromise as an important step forward in reducing children’s exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals.

Now that it has a strong legislative basis, the Commission must ensure that the necessary assessments are indeed performed before toy products enter the European market and that large online retailers comply with the regulation and refrain from exploiting potential loopholes.

“ESPE will continue to spread the science around the harms of EDC exposure to children and work with regulators to ensure the latest scientific developments are reflected in the EU legislative framework around EDCs” said Prof Anita Hokken-Koelega, ESPE President.

Now that the EU Toy Regulation has been adopted, the next focus for regulators should be an ambitious REACH revision as well as a PFAS Restriction Proposal that does justice to the overwhelming evidence linking PFAS exposure to numerous endocrine conditions in children.

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About ESPE

The European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) is an international society registered in Europe that promotes the highest levels of clinical care for infants, children and adolescents with endocrine problems throughout the world, including in less advantaged areas. At the EU level, it works with the EU and partner organisations to create a healthier environment for children and adults.