Alignment with the new EU rules should ensure that toys placed on the Serbian market are safer for children, that dangerous products can be identified and withdrawn from the market more easily, and that inspection authorities and labs have more effective control mechanisms at their disposal.
PLAC IV project provided the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia with legal and expert support in reviewing and further aligning the Draft Law Amending the Law on Items of General Use with the new EU rules, with a focus on toy safety and improving the market surveillance system. The objective is to align national legislation with the new Regulation (EU) 2025/2509 on toy safety, while also establishing a more effective system to prevent unsafe products from reaching children. The new EU Toy Safety Regulation was adopted in response to changes in the way toys are manufactured and sold, the growth of online commerce, and new scientific findings concerning the harmful effects of certain chemicals on children’s health.
A PUBLIC CONSULTATION on the Draft Law Amending the Law on Items of General Use was conducted from 5 to 25 May 2026. Documentation and information on the procedure are available on the eKonsultacije portal.
PLAC IV SUPPORT FOR AMENDMENTS TO THE LAW ON ITEMS OF GENERAL USE
As part of this support, PLAC IV project experts analysed the new EU Toy Safety Regulation and presented its key requirements and expected impact on national legislation and practice. The Ministry of Health prepared the Draft Law Amending the Law on Items of General Use and the corresponding tables of concordance, while the project support includes an expert review of the proposed legislation, comments on the Draft Law, and verification of the prepared tables of concordance between the Draft Law and the relevant EU acquis.
The new EU rules in the field of toy safety, the proposed legislation and issues related to their future implementation were presented on 15 July 2026 at a workshop organised in cooperation with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia, with the participation of representatives of the competent institutions and PLAC IV project experts. The workshop was opened by Project Team Leader Matjaž Logar and Mirjana Veljković of the Ministry of Health, who emphasised that Serbia had started preparations for the implementation of the new European rules in a timely manner, particularly given that these products are intended for the most vulnerable group – children.
Raymond O’Rourke, PLAC IV international legal expert, presented the key novelties introduced by the Regulation, the obligations of manufacturers, importers, distributors and online vendors, as well as examples of market surveillance practices in EU Member States. Particular attention was drawn to the challenges posed by the growth of direct imports and online shopping, where products without the appropriate markings, warnings or evidence of conformity frequently appear in practice. In presenting various practices from EU Member States, Mr O’Rourke highlighted the current importance of surveillance and controls on toy imports. By way of example, during one inspection of toy imports from third countries in Austria, as many as 78% of the products inspected failed to meet European requirements, most commonly due to the absence of CE marking, inadequate warnings, chemical composition, or incorrect product labelling.
Prof. dr Slobodan Vukadinović, AC IV project expert, presented the proposed amendments to the Law on Items of General Use and their importance for the national consumer protection system.
“The proposed amendments to the Law improve the toy safety system through the introduction of a digital product passport, new obligations for all market participants, new rules for online sales and a more effective market surveillance system. This establishes a clearer legal framework, strengthens legal certainty and ensures alignment with EU law. It also further improves risk prevention and makes it possible to identify unsafe toys in a timely manner and prevent them from being placed on the market or from being further supplied, thereby contributing to a higher level of protection for children and to achieving the fundamental objective of the Law – ensuring a high level of protection of human life, health and safety, environmental protection and protection of consumer interests,” Vukadinović emphasised.
NEW RULES FOR SAFER TOYS AND MORE EFFECTIVE MARKET SURVEILLANCE
The Regulation introduces stricter restrictions on certain groups of chemicals, new rules for online sales and more precisely defined obligations for all actors in the supply chain – from manufacturers and importers to online marketplaces and distributors. An important part of the product safety system is also the rapid reporting of dangerous products to the competent authorities. For this purpose, the European Commission has established the Safety Business Gateway.
One of the most important novelties is the digital product passport, which will contain conformity information and make it easier to verify a toy’s origin and safety.
The CE marking will continue to confirm that a product complies with EU requirements, but in the future it will be linked to the digital product passport, making it more difficult to falsify documentation and facilitating product checks.
The amendments to the Law also provide for more detailed regulation of laboratory testing, laboratory accreditation and other areas governed by the Law on Items of General Use.
Support provided by the PLAC IV project helps the Ministry of Health to assess the requirements of the new EU Regulation in a timely manner, verify the compliance of the proposed legislation with EU law, and prepare for further steps following the adoption of the accompanying acts by the European Commission. The ultimate objective is a clearer regulatory framework, greater accountability of all market participants, and a higher level of protection for children and consumers.
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