On Friday 11 December, the European Commission adopted a regulation tightening existing EU legislation on allergenic fragrances and potentially allergenic fragrances in toys.
In amending the Toy Safety Directive (2009/48/EC), the Commission extended the list of 55 fragrances that are already banned in toys and toy materials to include three contact allergens - atranol, chloroatranol and methyl heptine carbonate.
The first two are natural components of extracts of oak moss and tree moss, while the third is a synthetic molecule.
The Commission’s rules will also impose mandatory labelling on toys, packaging and accompanying leaflets for 61 other allergenic fragrances, if they have a concentration greater than 100 mg/kg in the toys in question.
The Commission says that these measures were decided in consultation with industry and consumer organisations and experts from the member states. They will be published in the next few days in the Official Journal of the EU and will apply 18 months later in all Member States.
Since August 2019, atranol and chloroatranol have been banned in cosmetic products under EU Regulation 2017/1410, which will apply fully from August 2021.
This regulation was adopted based on a 2012 opinion provided by the EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (see EUROPE 11019/9). (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)