MPs sounded the alarm on Tuesday over plans for UK toys to need “digital passports” to be sold in the European Union.
The European Scrutiny Committee raised concerns about proposed new rules from Brussels that could soon require UK toys sold on the Continent to come with such an electronic certificate.
The changes, proposed by the European Commission, would amend EU rules governing toy safety.
The British MPs said that if agreed, toys sold in the EU, including those sold online, would be required to come with a ‘Digital Product Passport’ under the proposals.
This would provide safety information on the toy, updating the current paper-based requirements.
At present, the regulations ban toys containing carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic chemicals (CMRs).
These rules would be extended to cover further classes of harmful chemicals, including endocrine disruptors, which interfere with the body’s hormones, and respiratory sensitisers, which produce an irreversible allergic reaction.
Any UK toy producer placing goods on the EU market would need to adhere to the new rules.
While the requirements for products sold on the Great Britain market would not change, the rules would apply in Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework.
However, the Committee noted that the UK Government had not consulted manufacturers in Northern Ireland on the likely impact of the new rules.
European Scrutiny Committee chairman Sir William Cash said: “These new rules could have a significant impact on toy producers in the UK. While we note that the Government’s assessment is at an early stage, we call for the Government to provide more information on the extent of divergence between the UK and EU on toy safety.
“The Committee shares the Government’s view that Northern Ireland must have unfettered access to the rest of the UK market. We urge the Government to set out how it will make sure that remains the case, and how it will consult NI manufacturers on the likely impact of the new rules.”
The committee wrote to Kevin Hollinrake, Minister for Enterprise, Markets and Small Business to highlight its concerns.
It requested that the minister updates it on the Government’s progress towards reviewing sector-specific legislation covering toys, and address how the Government’s strategy for safety regulation diverges from the EU’s proposed approach.
It also asks whether the Government will consult manufacturers on the EU’s proposals, given its potential application in Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework.
