SGS Toy Experts Ensure Compliance with the New EU Toy Directive

Aix-en-Provence, France, June 23, 2011 --(PR.com)-- This is a decisive year for all actors in the European toy industry supply chain. The main provisions of the new toy directive come into force on July 20, 2011, excluding the chemical requirements, which have a further transitional period of two years until July 20, 2013.

SGS showcased its toy solutions (http://www.hardlines.sgs.com/toys.htm) at international toy fairs taking place in Hong Kong, Nuremberg (Germany) and London (United Kingdom) in January and February 2011. SGS toy experts were available to explain in detail to EU toy manufacturers, retailers and importers how the directive will impact their products. All companies actually highlighted the importance of understanding the changes of the directive, but above all, they requested a comprehensive compliance solution with step by step guidance to meet the deadlines of 2011 and 2013.

Guidance Documents

The Technical Documentation guidance document (http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/toys/files/tsd_rev_1.2_explanatory_guidance_document_en.pdf) prepared by the EU commission expert group was published in April 2011. This document provides guidance on the details needed for the Technical Documentation including BOM, BOS, SDS, EC type examination procedure, safety assessments, etc.

You can also visit the EU Commission website (http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/toys/) where all guidance documents are stored including the explanatory guidance document of the Toy Directive.

SGS Toy Services

Manufacturers, retailers and importers can rely on the network of labs (about 20 toy labs around the world, including four EU notified bodies in France, UK, Germany and Netherlands) and the toy experts of SGS to ensure EU compliance. SGS has set up dedicated services to comply with the Toy Directive.

SGS offers assistance at any stage of the product life cycle and develops with the staff a customized solution including training, safety /risk assessments, safety data sheets (SDS) preparation, declaration of conformity (DoC) preparation, labeling review and technical documentation validation, as well as testing according to toystandards and other legislation such as REACH (http://www.reach.sgs.com/index.htm).

For further information on the new EU Toy Directive, please contact:

SGS Consumer Testing Services
Serge Milon
Toy Manager, SGS France
215 Avenue Paul Langevin Pôle d'activités Aix Les Milles, 13854 Aix-en-Provence, France
t: +33 4 42 97 72 38
f: +33 4 42 39 40 33
E-mail: cts.media@sgs.com
Website: www.sgs.com/toys

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With 64,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 1,250 offices and laboratories around the world.

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