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.

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

[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)