On December 4, 2024, the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) published the updated toy safety standard, EN 71-3: 2019+A2: 2024, Safety of Toys – Part 3: Migration of Certain Elements. This standard is scheduled to take effect in June, 2025, replacing the current version, EN 71-3: 2019+A1: 2021.
Compared to the old version, the main updates include:
- The updated standard removes the dewaxing step in the pre-treatment process.
- It includes additional revisions and updates to the testing methods for composite materials.
- Improvements have been made to the migration testing methods for Category I[1] and Category II[2] materials.
- The standard provides a clear explanation of the rationale for calculating migration limits for Cr(III) and Cr(VI) based on total chromium migration, enhancing the scientific validity and practicality of the methodology.
[1] Category I: Dry, brittle, powder like or pliable materials (e.g. the cores of coloring pencils, chalk, crayons; pliable modelling materials, including modeling clays and plaster)
[2] Category II: Liquid or sticky materials (e.g. finger paints, varnished, lacquers, liquid ink in pens and similar materials in liquid form like slimes and bubble solution; glue sticks)
In addition, the CEN has also published other EN71 series standards for toys:
- EN71-13: 2021+A2:2024, Safety of toys – Part 13: Olfactory board games, cosmetic kits and gustative games
- EN71-18:2024, Safety of toys – Part 18: Phenol in aqueous (content) and polymeric (migration) toy materials
- EN71-19:2024, Safety of toys – Part 19: Migration of bisphenol A from toy materials
