Egypt’s Toy Standards Harmonized with Europe’s Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has circulated 2 notifications from Egypt announcing the country’s amendments on requirements for toy safety and standard methods. The essential toy safety requirements comply with the European Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC.

Egyptian Organization for Standardization and Quality Targets Toy Safety

In May 2010, the WTO circulated Notification G/TBT/N/EGY/16 (https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/FE_Search/FE_S_S006.aspx?MetaCollection=WTO&SymbolList=&Serial=%2210-2433%22&IssuingDateFrom=&IssuingDateTo=&CATTITLE=&ConcernedCountryList=&OtherCountryList=&SubjectList=&TypeList=&AutoSummary=&FullText=&FullTextForm=&Product) from the Egyptian Organization for Standardization and Quality (EOS) to announce its intention to adopt 3 Egyptian standards for toy safety. These standards were designated as safety of toys:

•    P1 ‘Mechanical and physical properties’
•    P2 ‘Flammability’
•    P3 ‘Migration of certain elements’

The toy safety standards P1-P3 are mandatory and comply with EN 71 parts 1-3 for presumption of conformity with the former European Toy Safety Directive 88/378/EEC  

In March 2015, the WTO circulated 2 additional notifications from Egypt announcing amendments to toy safety requirements:

•    The essential requirements for safety of toys (G/TBT/N/EGY/70) (https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/FE_Search/FE_S_S006.aspx?MetaCollection=WTO&SymbolList=&Serial=%2215-1252%22&IssuingDateFrom=&IssuingDateTo=&CATTITLE=&ConcernedCountryList=&OtherCountryList=&SubjectList=&TypeList=&AutoSummary=&FullText=&FullTextForm=&Product) and
•    Certain standard methods for demonstration of compliance (G/TBT/N/EGY/16/Add.1)( https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/FE_Search/FE_S_S006.aspx?MetaCollection=WTO&SymbolList=&Serial=%2215-1208%22&IssuingDateFrom=&IssuingDateTo=&CATTITLE=&ConcernedCountryList=&OtherCountryList=&SubjectList=&TypeList=&AutoSummary=&FullText=&FullTextForm=&Product) .

Import and Manufacture of Toys Subject to Egypt’s New Standards

Under Notification G/TBT/N/EGY/70, toy manufacturers and importers must comply with the Egyptian standard ES 7093/2014 ‘Essential Requirements for Safety of Toys’ as mandated by Ministerial Decree No. 134/2014. This ES standard complies with the European Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC. The proposed date of entry into force was 24 August 2014.  

The Notification G/TBT/N/EGY/16/Add.1 is an addendum to Notification G/TBT/N/EGY/16. It amends the Egyptian standards P2 “Flammability’ and P3 ‘Migration of certain elements’ to 2 new standards:

•    ES 3123-2 for flammability (in conformity with EN 71-2:2011+A1:2014)
•    ES 3123-3 for the migration of certain elements (in conformity with EN 71-3:2013 for 19 elements)

Highlights of the 2 notifications are summarized in a table within the latest SafeGuards bulletin (http://www.sgs.com/en/Our-Company/News-and-Media-Center/News-and-Press-Releases/2015/06/SafeGuardS-08915-WTO-Notifies-Egypts-Amendments-to-Toy-Safety-Requirements-and-Standards.aspx).

About SGS Services for Toys and Juvenile Products

Throughout its global network of laboratories, SGS is able to provide a range of services, including analytical testing, flammability tests (http://www.sgs.com/en/Consumer-Goods-Retail/Toys-and-Juvenile-Products/Toys/Testing/Flammability-Tests.aspx)  and consultancy, for toy safety for Egypt and international markets. Please do not hesitate to contact an SGS representative for further information.

Contact details:

SGS Consumer Testing Services
HingWo Tsang
Global Toys and Juvenile Products Information and Innovation Manager
SGS Hong Kong Limited
1/F On Wui Centre
25 Lok Yip Road
Fanling, N.T., Hong Kong, China

t: +852 2774 7420
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.sgs.com/juvenileproducts

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 80,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 1,650 offices and laboratories around the world.