CELEX: 51988PC0220
Language: en
Date: 1988-04-13
Title: Re-examined proposal for a COUNCIL DIRECTIVE on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning the safety of toys (Commission Communication pursuant to Article 149(2)(d) of the EEC Treaty)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (88) 220
Vol. 1988/0070
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 ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                           COM ( 88 ) 220 final - SYN 66
                                           Brussels , 13 April 1988
                                                             'T>
                                                  "i
                                               O      <S
                                                 -a
                   Re-examined proposal for a
                        COUNCIL DIRECTIVE
    on the approximation of the laws of the Member
                 concerning the safety of toys
   ( Commission Communication pursuant to Article 149(2)(d )
                       of the EEC Treaty )
 ---pagebreak---                                             2
Commission communication to the Council pursuant to Article 149(2)(d )
( second sentence ) of the Treaty_
Subject :   Amendments to the common position adopted by the Council on
            18 December 1987 on adoption of the Directive on toy safety ,
            proposed by the European Parliament
1.    In October 1987 the Commission adopted and forwarded to the Council , on the
basis of Article 149(3 ) of the Treaty , a proposal for an amended directive on toy
safety , which overall and in the main embodies the amendments put forward by the
European Parliament in its opinion of 9 July 1987 on the proposal for a directive ,
presented by the Commission in October 1986 .
At the meeting on 18 December 1987 , the Council on consumer affairs unanimously
adopted a common position in accordance with the Commission 's amended proposal ,
subject to certain amendments which were accepted by the Commission .
2.    In its communication to the European Parliament forwarded pursuant to
Article 149(2)(b ) of the Treaty , the Commission expressed its opinion on certain
amendments proposed by the European Parliament which it had not adopted .
3.    At the meeting on 9 March 1988 the European Parliament adopted a decision on
the common position of the Council on the Commission proposal for a directive .        This
decision was forwarded to the Commission , which received it on 14 March 1988 .
By decision of 9 March 1988, the European Parliament proposed amendments to
Article 11(5 ), Annex I , points 3 , 11 and 12 and Annex II , Section II , point 2(a )
( last sentence ) of the common position .
4.    The proposals for amendments to the common position adopted by the European
Parliament on 9 March 1988 relate to points on which the Commission had already
expressed its views in its communication on the common position forwarded to
Parliament pursuant to Article 1 49 ( 2 ) ( b ) of the Treaty .
 ---pagebreak---                                     - з -
5.   The Commission has reviewed the amendments proposed by the European
Parliament and has decided not to propose any amendments to the commo.n position ;
this common position reflects the proposal as reviewed by the Commission .
The Commission 's views on the amendments proposed by Parliament are as follows :
Amendment to Article 11(5 )
This amendment provides for the use of symbols drawn up by the international
standards organizations to represent warnings and precautions regarding use
referred to in the directive .
The Commission considers that the text of the common position does not exclude
the use of such symbols , nor their exclusive use for information relating to age
in the case of toys intended for children aged under 36 months . The Commission
notes that at the present time there are no symbols recognized by international
or European standards organizations .
The Commission considers that the proposed amendment could therefore create some
legal confusion . Further , it does not seem advisable to make reference to
international standards organizations in connection with work over which they
have no control .
For the time being , the Commission believes that the text of the common position
should remain unchanged .
Amendment to Annex I , point 3
This amendment seeks to include equipment to be used collectively in playgrounds
within the scope of the directive .
The Commission notes that the proposal for a directive seeks to provide for the
safety of toys and is not intended to cover all aspects of children 's safety .
 ---pagebreak---                                        4
The Commission is aware of the danger of accidents that can occur on playgrounds .
In November 1987 it organized a European conference on accidents on playgrounds
and on their prevention .
The Commission nevertheless believes that safety on playgrounds should be promoted
outside the directive on toy safety . It therefore considers that the text in the
common position should remain unchanged .
Amendaient to Annex I , points 11 and 12
This amendment seeks to include slings , catapults and sets of metal-tipped darts
in the scope of the directive .    The Commission believes that by their nature
these products cannot meet the essential safety requirements of the directive .
These products are clearly dangerous and normally used by adults , and should
not be regarded as toys .
The Commission recalls that the proposed directive is aimed at the safety of toys
and cannot cover all products that might be dangerous .
The Commission believes therefore that the text of the common position should
remain unchanged .
Amendments to Annex II , section II , point 2(a ), last sentence
This amendment specifies that toys must not give off toxic fumes .
The Commission considers that the clarified text on the common position with respect
 to essential requirements concerning flammability combined with the provisions
relating to essential requirements concerning aspects of chemical safety would
seem to resolve this problem .
The Commission therefore believes that the text of the common position should
not be amended .
                                                                              V
 ---pagebreak---                                        5
6 . ' In conclusion , the Commission believes the common position adopted by
the Council on 18 December 1987 following the amended proposal it had
presented incorporating the opinions and amendments , proposed by Parliament
on 9 July 1987 , should not be amended .  The Commission is not incorporating
the amendments proposed by the European Parliament on 9 March 1988 .
 ---pagebreak---             EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
                                  SESSION 1988-1989
Decision of the European Parliament on the common position
of the Council on the proposal from the Commission for a
directive on the approximation of the laws of the Member States
concerning the safety of toys (C 2-272 / 87 , A 2-311 / 87 )
                         EXTRACT
                         OF THE MINUTES
                       OF THE MEETING OF
                         9 MARCH 1988
                                                             PE 120.611
 ---pagebreak---       Toy safety          ** II                                          EN
       Doc . A2-311 /87
                                                       DECISION
                                     ( COOPERATION PROCEDURE : second reading )
           on the common , posi t ion of the Council on the proposal' f rom 'the”COfflifn'ssion
           for a Council directive on the approximation of the laws of the Member
                                      States concerning the safety of toys
           The European Parliament ,
           - having regard to the common position of the Council ( Doc . C2-272 / 87 ),
           - having regard to the relevant provisions of the EEC Treaty and its own
              Rules of Procedure ,
           1.      Has amended the common position as set out below ;
           2.      Has instructed its President to forward this decision to the
                   Council and Commission .
           Common position of the Council             Text amended by the European Parliament
                                                      Amendment No . 1
           Article 11(5 )                             Article 11(5 )
           5 . Annex IV sets' out the warnings        5 . Annex IV sets out the warnings
           and indications of precautions to          and indications of precautions to
           be taken during use that have to           be taken during use that have to
           be given for certain toys .                be given for certain toys .
           Member States may require that             Member States may require that
           these warnings and precautions ,           these warnings and precautions ,
           or some of them , together with            or some of them , together with
           the information specified in               the information specified in
           paragraph 4 , be given in their            paragraph 4 , be given in their
           own national language or                   own national language or
           languages when the toys are                languages when the toys are
           placed on the market .                     placed on the market .        The
                                                      warnings and precautions mentioned in
                                                      this paragraph may be represented by
                                                      symbols ( pictograms ) drawn up by the
                                                      international standards organizations .
                                                      Amendment No . 2
Annex I , point 3                                     Annex I , point 3
3 . Equipment intended to be used                    3 . deleted
     collectively in playgrounds
                                                      Amendment No . 3
Annex I , points 11 and 12                            Annex I , points 11 and 12
11 .   Slings and catapults                           1 1 . deleted
12 .   Sets of darts with metallic points             12 . deleted
                                                     1                                   PE 120.611
 ---pagebreak---                                                                  EN
            COMMON POSITION               TEXT AMENDED BY PARLIAMENT
ANNEX II , SECTION II , point 2(a ), ANNEX II , SECTION II , point 2(a ),
last phrase                          last phrase
Such combustible materials most not  Such combustible materials must not
constitute a risk of ignition for    constitute a risk of ignition for
other materials used in the toy .    other materials used in the toy .
                                     They should not give off toxic fumes .
                                                               PE 120.611
                                                                          8