New code to ensure safer toys

ABU DHABI // A new standard for ensuring the quality and safety of children’s toys sold across the country has been approved by the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (Esma).

Esma on Saturday confirmed that it was implementing a strategy to improve the specifications and quality of national and imported children’s products to protect the safety and health of children and support the economy through compliance with UAE, Arabian Gulf and international certified safety standards and requirements.

The updated standards will be submitted to the Federal Cabinet, which will issue a regulatory resolution to approve implementation of the GCC mandatory technical regulations and guides for these products in the UAE.

Abdullah Al Maeeni, acting director of Esma, said the new Conformity Assessment Regulation for Children’s Toys, endorsed by the Esma board, would develop mechanisms of monitoring children’s products on the local market to ensure maximum levels of safety and health. The prime goal, he added, was to make sure that children faced no harm or risks when using these products.

All toys sold in the UAE and the Gulf countries need to meet the requirements set by the GCC Standardisation Organisation (GSO). Toys authorised by Esma currently have the G-mark (Gulf Conformity Mark) certificate, which testifies compliance with GCC-wide safety and health regulations for toys.

Mr Al Maeeni said that Esma meeting regularly with market regulators, suppliers, sellers and manufacturers to enlighten them on the regulations and requirements that toys should meet under the GCC technical safety and health regulations.

The UAE toys market is valued at Dh1.8 billion a year, Mr Al Maeeni said, with an annual average spend of about Dh1,300 per child.