Board Game Regulations in the European Union: An Overview

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Board Game Regulations in the European Union

Board games sold in the European Union are subject various regulations, standards, labelling, documentation, and testing requirements. However, the requirements differ depending on whether the board game is considered a toy, suitable for 0 to 14 year olds, or other age groups.

The former is generally speaking subject to stricter requirements, concerning small parts and other safety aspects. Having said that, there are safety requirements also for adults board games – substance restrictions, for example.

It is not always easy to assess if a given board game is intended for children, adults, or both. For this reason, the European Union sets guidelines to help companies decide whether their board game, or other product, is appropriate for adults or children.

In this guide, we explain how the Toy Safety Directive, the General Product Safety Regulation, and other requirements apply to board games meant for children, and adults.
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EU Ecolabel For Importers & Manufacturers: A Complete Guide

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EU Ecolabel

The EU ecolabel is a voluntary marking scheme used to signal that a product meet certain environmental standards. In order to use the EU Ecolabel, it is mandatory to comply with the requirements outlined under the EU Ecolabel Regulation.

That being said, the specific requirements differ depending on the product type, which is further explored in this guide.

In this guide, we explain what the EU Ecolabel is, what product groups it covers, and its various criteria. We also explain how you can apply for the EU Ecolabel.
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Formaldehyde Regulations in the European Union: An Overview

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Formaldehyde can be found by various products, including wooden products, plastics, and cosmetics. Due to its toxicity, there are regulations in the European Union that restrict the content or release of formaldehyde.

As such, importers and manufacturers of products that contain or can contain formaldehyde must ensure that their products comply with the applicable regulations, directives, and standards that limit its the use. This can generally be assessed by performing the necessary testing.

In this guide, we explain what formaldehyde is, and which regulations restrict its usage, release, or emission. We also provide examples of relevant standards, and explain why lab testing is necessary.
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Lithium Battery Regulations and Standards in the EU: An Overview

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Lithium batteries are subject to various regulations and directives in the European Union that concern safety, substances, documentation, labelling, and testing. These requirements are primarily found under the Batteries Regulation, but additional regulations, directives, and standards are also relevant to lithium batteries.

Notice that this guide only covers batteries, rather than requirements applicable to devices that contain them.

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Button Cell and Coin Battery Safety Standards and Regulations in the EU

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EU Button and Coin Battery Regulations

Button cell or coin batteries, including devices containing these, are subject to various regulations and safety standards in the EU. This includes the Batteries Regulation, Toy Safety Directive, and the General Product Safety Regulation.

However, the requirements depend on various factors, such as age groups and the type of product the batteries are used for.

In this guide, we take a closer look into these requirements, to help you navigate the various regulations, directives, and standards related to button cell and coin batteries in the EU.

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Biocidal Products Regulation: An Essential Guide

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Biocidal Products Regulation

Products treated with biocides, and biocidal products imported or manufactured in the European Union must adhere to the requirements of the Biocidal Products Regulation. In some situations, even making biocidal claims about the product may trigger the requirements of the regulation, which include labelling, documentation and testing.

The Biocidal Products Regulation can therefore be applicable to, for example, socks designed to prevent odour. Another scenario could be underwear with claimed anti-bacterial properties.

The guide is split into two parts. The first half elaborates on the regulation’s requirements for treated products, such as garments. The second half focuses on requirements affecting biocidal products.
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Language Requirements When Selling Products in the EU

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Language Requirements When Selling Products in the EU
Products sold in the European Union must often be labelled and come with documentation written in the language or languages required by the EU member states where these are sold. This can be challenging, as it forces companies selling in the EU to translate everything from warning texts to user instructions into multiple languages to stay compliant.

In this guide, we take a closer look at language requirements for products sold in the European Union – with a particular focus on the General Product Safety Regulation.
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What is the EU Digital Product Passport?

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EU Digital Product Passport
The Digital Product Passport is intended to replace the Declaration of Conformity for at least a number of product categories in the coming years. In this guide, we explain what the Digital Product Passport is, what to include, and how to obtain one – with Article 17 of the Toy Safety Regulation draft as our source.

However, keep in mind that this regulation is not final, and only relevant for toys. The exact requirements and processes will likely differ for other products.
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Market Surveillance Regulation: An Essential Guide

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Market Surveillance Regulation
The Market Surveillance Regulation aims at ensuring that products sold to consumers are safe and prevents general non-compliance.

For some categories of products, toys and electronics for example, it sets certain tasks that must be performed by manufacturers – or their authorised representative, in the case of non-EU manufacturers that sell to consumers in the EU, – and other economic operators.

In this guide, we explain what the requirements of the Market Surveillance Regulation are, what products it covers, and elaborate on its impact on manufacturers, importers, and other economic operators from both EU and non-EU countries. This includes businesses based in the United Kingdom.
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EU Medical Device Classes Guide – Class I, IIa, IIb, and III

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EU Medical Device Classes Guide - I, IIa, IIb, and IIIThe Medical Devices Regulation sets requirements according to device class. More specifically, medical devices are defined as class I, IIa, IIb, or III. In turn, this determines certain requirements, and which conformity assessment procedure the manufacturer must follow.

In this guide, we present the different classes for medical devices, explain how medical devices must be classified, delve into the classification rules, and explore the implications of each classification.

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