In response to the many product recalls by toy manufacturers Mattel and Toys’R’Us for toys manufactured in China, the EU Commission intends to intensify the quality controls for certain products. Industry Commissioner Günter Verheugen recently announced that certification by an independent institution should be made compulsory in addition to the quality controls carried out by the manufacturers. He told the European Parliament (EP) that, by the end of the year, the Commission would produce a completely revised version of the 1988 European toy directive.

In a resolution approved on 26 September 2007, the EP asked for tougher measures to ensure the safety of children's toys. The EU toy directive needed to be revised urgently to prevent unsafe products coming onto the European market. In addition, the introduction of a pan-European quality label for product safety should be examined. The resolution also contains a call for an "unconditional ban" on certain hazardous chemicals, such as "all substances that are carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction".

China has since said it will cease using lead-containing coatings for exported toys. 80% of all the toys produced worldwide are now made in the People's Republic. In 2006, says the EP, 48% of toxic products were manufactured in China, although 21% also originated in EU-25.