Commercial Information Circulars

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

Ref : EIC 230/2/12

9 July 2014

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No.647/2014

European Union (EU) * : Amendment to Directive on the Safety of Toys

Further to Commercial Information Circular No. 624/2014 dated 30 June 2014, the European Commission (the Commission) has adopted a Directive to amend Appendix A of Annex II of Directive 2009/48/EC on the safety of toys regarding nickel. Details are set out in the Commission Directive 2014/84/EU, which can be accessed through the following link:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32014L0084&from=EN

DETAILS

2.Appendix A of Annex II of 2009/48/EC already permits the use of nickel in stainless steel in toys. The Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks (SCHER) opined that the use of nickel in parts of toys allowing the correct electric function of toys will result in a very low potential for exposure to nickel by oral and dermal intake and hence, health risks are not expected. Appendix A of Annex II of Directive 2009/48/EC is amended accordingly so as to allow the use of nickel in toys and toys components made of stainless steel as well as in toys components which are intended to conduct an electric current. Member States shall adopt and publish the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive by 1 July 2015 at the latest.

ENQUIRIES

3.For enquiries concerning the content of this circular, please contact the undersigned at telephone number 2398 5556.

Yours faithfully,

(Miss Anita WONG)

for Director-General of Trade and Industry

*The EU includes Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, 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.