Three out of every five radio-controlled toys fail EU test
A total of 88 toys were tested in 13 countries, including Malta
Three out of every five radio-controlled toys tested in 13 EU countries, including Malta, failed to meet EU standards for interference.
An EU-funded initiative that tested 88 such toys for three- to-14-year-olds found that 53 failed to meet standards.
Signal interference can disrupt communication services, including those used for navigation and safety. The samples tested included radio-controlled (RC) vehicles, walkie-talkies and laptops for children, electronic pets, robots, music players and speakers. The average price of the toys was €40.
The samples tested were sourced from Belgium, Cyprus, Czechia, France, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia and Switzerland. Two-thirds were bought online, and about one-third of the 88 toys were manufactured in China. The rest were produced in the EU, the US, the UK and Taiwan.
What failed the test?
The failures included 36 of 50 RC vehicles, all 16 boats and trains, 14 of 16 walkie-talkies and smart toys, and three of six radio toys not operating in the 2.4 GHz band.
A principal cause of the interference detected was spurious emissions – signals generated on a frequency outside the necessary bandwidth.
Another was radiated power – the strength of the signal of a transmitter in a specific direction. If this exceeds certain limits, the signal can disrupt other devices.
In addition to laboratory testing against the applicable standards, market surveillance authorities checked if the samples carried the required warnings, markings and instructions. 63% of samples were found to be non-compliant. When combined with the laboratory testing results, 81% failed to meet the requirements.
The testing was organised by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs. It was carried out under the 2025 edition of the Joint Actions on Compliance of Products campaign in the EU and in EFTA countries.
Sales bans
Investigations into the failings are continuing. So far, market surveillance authorities have asked economic operators of seven products to change or improve them.
Sales bans have been imposed on 22 products, and 58 non-conforming products have been listed on the EU’s Information and Communication System on Market Surveillance.
This platform allows market surveillance authorities to share test results to coordinate enforcement and keep unsafe, non-food products off the market.
Consumers are advised to avoid purchasing toys without a CE mark and to check that user manuals and safety instructions are available in the national language(s) of their country.