EU to review toy safety checks after third Mattel recall 

The latest recall of Chinese-made products - the third in little more than a month by Mattel - has prompted the Commission to start reviewing its safety mechanisms.

"I am determined that there will be no complacency when it comes to consumer safety, children and toys," said Meglena Kuneva, the EU's consumer protection commissioner on Wednesday (5 September). "I want to use this two-month period to check all the links in the chain."

According to Kuneva, the recalls have proved that the Commission's RAPID alert system had "worked well". "Information was exchanged quickly and authorities were alerted and products withdrawn," she said.

But doubts remained as to Mattel's own product safety checks and the seven different Chinese contractors involved in the manufacturing of the incriminated products.

Mattel said that the voluntary recall was the result of a "thorough investigation" prompted by a first recall earlier in August. "Consequently, several subcontractors are no longer manufacturing Mattel toys," said Robert A. Eckert, chairman and chief executive officer at Mattel.

But some said more should be done, with the Socialist group in the European Parliament saying that the product withdrawals prove that the European 'CE' toy safety symbol was being "misused".

"There are now serious questions about the system of self-regulation and use of the 'CE' marking," said Evelyne Gebhardt, a socialist MEP. 

"We now need a proper debate and a review of safety measures," she added, saying "it is hard to believe that there are not many other dangerous products on the market bearing the CE marking."

Kuneva is due to present the conclusions of the Commission's stocktaking exercise at the end of October, ahead of the EU-China summit on 28 November.