Catherine Stihler, Scots Labour MEP, today voted for tough new toy safety rules which will protect Scottish children. 
 

Catherine commented, “The old EU toy safety law was 20 years past its sell-by date. It failed to deal with the new risks from toy imports. Currently, 95% of toys in Britain and 80% of toys in the EU are imported from China and after last year’s scandals, only action at a European level will protect Scottish children.”
 
“At a recent toy safety seminar in Brussels, I saw at first hand the kind of toys which pose risks, ranging from edible toys with poor warning labels to highly fragranced baby toys which can cause allergies.”
 
“Toys are an integral part of childhood and the toy industry must ensure the safety of their products.  It is frightening that manufacturers are producing products which fall short of the mark, when it is universally recognised that toys are the tools that children use for play, comfort and learning”.
 
“There is still a lot of work to be done to ensure that all products that are sold in Europe meet the harmonised European standard for toys.  This will only be achieved if action is taken at the European level.  I am delighted that the European Parliament today overwhelmingly voted with 481 votes for and 73 against to back these new laws. We really are putting child safety first.”