What is EN 71 — Safety of Toys (European Standard), and does it apply to your product?

If you're importing or reselling toys into the European Union, EN 71 is not optional reading — it's the standard that determines whether your product can legally be sold there.

EN 71 is the European safety standard for toys, broken into multiple parts. Parts 1 through 3 cover mechanical and physical properties, flammability, and the migration of certain elements. That last part matters most for compliance headaches, because EN 71-3 sets strict limits on how much of certain substances can migrate out of toy materials.

Here are the actual limits, in milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg):

These aren't suggestions. If your product's coatings, plastics, or paints exceed these thresholds, it doesn't matter how good the toy looks or performs — it's non-compliant.

**What you actually need before you ship:**

1. EN 71 Part 1-3 test reports from an accredited lab — self-testing or informal lab results won't hold up.

2. An EU Declaration of Conformity, which you (or your manufacturer) sign, stating the product meets applicable requirements.

3. CE marking on the product itself.

4. An age appropriateness label.

5. A choking hazard warning, if the item has small parts and is intended for children under 3.

**Does it apply to you?**

If you're selling anything marketed or reasonably intended for use by children under 14 into any EU country — including through Amazon.eu, eBay, or direct fulfillment — E