On May 4, 2017, the Official Journal of the European Union (OJ) issued Commission Directive (EU) 2017/774, amending Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC, adding restrictions on the migration of phenol and content as a preservative for toys that can be placed in the mouth for use by children under 36 months old. (EU) 2017/774 will come into effect from the 20th day of the OJ release, and the relevant restrictions will be officially implemented from November 4, 2018.

Phenol, also known as carbolic acid, has a wide range of uses. Phenol has been identified as present in polyvinyl chloride (PVC), gaming consoles, bathtubs, inflatable toys, and synthetic fibers used in making children's tents and gaming tunnels. It is also used as a preservative for water-based liquid toys (felt pens, bubble products), and as a phenolic resin monomer for manufacturing resin bonded wood for toys.

This revision aims to clarify the migration limit of phenol and add a content limit for phenol as a preservative. According to (EU) 2017/774, Annex II Appendix C of Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC adds the following content: for phenol, it needs to meet three requirements under the Toy Safety Directive: the content limit as a CMR substance: 10000mg/kg;

Migration limit of polymer materials: 5mg/l;

Preservative content requirement: 10mg/kg.