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Trade and Industry Department The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Brand Hong Kong - Asia world city
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Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Ref : EIC 230/2/12 

30 April 2008

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 255/2008

European Union (EU)* : Labelling Requirements for Toys Containing Magnets

Further to our Commercial Information Circular No. 155/2008 of 6 March 2008, the European Commission (the Commission) has recently adopted a Decision requiring Member States to place a warning on toys containing magnets. Details are set out in Commission Decision 2008/329/EC (the Decision). The Decision can be accessed through the following link:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2008:114:0090:0093:EN:PDF

DETAILS

  1.  

  2. Under the Decision, Member States shall ensure that magnetic toys which are placed or made available on the Community market display a warning:

    1. with the following wording: 'Warning! This toy contains magnets or magnetic components. Magnets sticking together or becoming attached to a metallic object inside the human body can cause serious or fatal injury. Seek immediate medical help if magnets are swallowed or inhaled.'; or

    2. with an equivalent easily understandable wording that clearly conveys the same content.

  3. The warning shall appear in a clearly visible and legible manner, conspicuously displayed on the packaging or otherwise attached to the magnetic toy in such a way as to be visible to the consumer at the point of purchase. It shall also appear in the official languages of the Member State in which the product is placed or made available on the market.
     

  4. Member States shall ensure that magnetic toys which do not display the required warning are prohibited from being placed or made available on the market with effect from 21 July 2008.

ENQUIRIES

  1. For enquiries concerning the contents of this circular, please contact the undersigned at telephone number 2398 5684.

Yours faithfully,




(Cyrus NG)

for Director-General of Trade and Industry

* The EU includes Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.



Note ：

  • (1) While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the above information, the Department cannot guarantee this to be so and will not be held liable for any reliance placed on the same.
  • (2) The biweekly newsletter "Business Alert - EU" of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council provides up-to-date information on the latest developments in EU trade policy and trade regulations. The newsletter is available for free e-subscription and can be accessed through
    http://www.tdctrade.com/alert/eualert.htm.