Press Release

25/09/2007

Consumers need better information on toy safety and sourcing. Malcolm Harbour MEP

The toy industry should set up a European safety marking, certified by independent testing. Toys should also be comprehensively labelled, including the source of production.

Malcolm Harbour MEP, EPP-ED Coordinator in the European Parliament's Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection, set out these proposals in Strasbourg today. He was lead speaker in the Parliament's response to a statement by the Enterprise and Industry Commissioner and the Consumer Protection Commissioner on the impact of the recent recalls of unsafe toys.

"Toy-makers produce a huge variety of items, and source from all over the world. They must operate to high standards of quality and safety. Consumers want more information to help them choose the best products. Reputable makers should support certification and labelling schemes that will help them choose safe products. But we should avoid prescriptive, centralised EU regulation", Harbour said.

The British MEP also called for more cooperation between customs authorities to identify unsafe products from rogue producers. "Once a container load of toys has entered the Single Market, those products can get straight into the distribution system", he said. "We have to step up controls at the main ports of entry for goods from Asia. Member States' governments need to work with toy makers to step up checks and catch unsafe items before they can do any damage", Harbour concluded.

Further information:
Malcolm Harbour MEP, Tel: +33-3-88-177132
Knut Goelz, EPP-ED Press Service, Tel: +32-479-972144

Notes to Editors:
The EPP-ED Group is the largest political group in the European Parliament with 278 Members from all 27 Member States.