Business sectors

Since the Standardization Request M/589 (and amendment) has been approved, the revision and development of new standards will continue in 2026 by CEN/TC 52 ‘Safety of toys’.

A number of new standards are planned to be published in 2026 in response to M/589 (and amendment), allowing testing for the presence of chemicals in certain types of toys:

• EN 71-1 ‘Safety of toys – Mechanical and physical properties’: the revision of the standard will include requirements for example for expanding toys, toys imitating food, ride-on toys, and aquatic ride-on toys, and further specify test methods for kinetic energy density.
• EN 71-5 ‘Safety of toys – Chemical toys (sets) other than experimental sets’: the revision will clarify the scope to include kits for the preparation of slime and to include requirements regarding the content of boron, fragrances, colourants, and preservatives.
• EN 71-7 ‘Safety of toys – Finger paints – Requirements and test methods’: the revision aims to review the list of preservatives and colourants and to address the relationship and interaction between preservation and the pH of finger paint.
• EN 71-8 ‘Safety of toys – Activity toys for domestic use’: the revision of the standards will include requirements for separately sold accessories for, and components of, activity toys, and separately sold swing elements that are ready for use on or in combination with an activity toy.
• EN 71-14 ‘Safety of toys – Trampolines for domestic use’: the revision of the document will target the review and categorization of warnings and the review of requirements regarding pinching, crushing, and falling hazards.
• EN 71-20 ‘Safety of toys – Microbiological safety of toys containing accessible aqueous media’: this document specifies microbiological cleanliness and preservative efficacy requirements for accessible aqueous media in toys.
  The requirements in this document apply to all toys that are, contain, or are supplied with accessible aqueous materials (such as paste, putty, liquid or gel).

In addition, the following Technical Report (TR) is planned to be published in 2026:

CEN/TR 18240 ‘Safety of toys – Mechanical and physical properties – Guidance on the requirements for food-imitating toys in EN 71-1’ (WG 3):  The new TR provides guidance on the requirements for toys which may be a realistic food imitation under the meaning of the prEN 71-1 clause 4.28, in order to assist users of the EN 71-1 standard. This document is only to assist users in distinguishing whether a toy product that imitates food in some way should be considered a realistic food imitation. It does not address products that are not toys.

The following ongoing standardization activities will be further developed in 2026:

• prCEN/TS 15371-1 ‘Safety of toys – Interpretations – Part 1: Replies to requests for interpretation of EN 71-1, EN 71-2, EN 71-8 and EN 71-14’ (WG 11): A revision of the technical report is needed to add new interpretations and delete the ones that are no longer relevant since the related standards have all been updated.
  
  
• prCEN/TS 15371-2 ‘Safety of toys – Interpretations – Part 2: Replies to requests for interpretation of the chemical standards in the EN 71 series’ (WG 12): A revision of the technical report is needed to add new interpretations and delete the ones that are no longer relevant since the related standards have all been updated.

Since almost all standards in the EN 71 series have been updated or revised, the intention is also to initiate the revision of the following technical report:

• TR 15071:2020 ‘Safety of toys – National translations of warnings and instructions for use in the EN 71 series’

Circular Economy for textile products and the textile chain

CEN/TC 248 ‘Textiles and textile products’ is responsible for the standardization of various aspects of textiles, including test methods, terms and definitions, and specifications. The TC has established a working group to focus on circular economy for textile products, which is currently engaged in the development of six brand-new documents. These deliverables aim to foster sustainability and circularity within the textile industry by developing guidelines and standards for diverse aspects of textile products. In 2026, the first deliverables are expected to be published, while Working Group 39 will continue to work on the remaining documents, as well as the newly initiated specifications on the collection and processing of used textile products and textile waste:

• Textiles – Circular economy for textile products – General principles and guidance
• Textiles – Circular economy for textile products – Design for circularity
• Textiles – Circular economy for textile products – Minimum requirements for bed, bath, kitchen and table textiles
• Textiles – Circular economy for textile products – Minimum requirements for clothing
• Textiles – Circular economy for textile products – Categorization of and requirements on non-virgin input materials
• Textiles – Circular economy for textile products – Minimum requirements for workwear
• Textiles – Circular economy for textile products – Part 4: Collecting, handling, sorting and storing specifications for used textile products and textile waste

Childcare Articles

CEN/TC 252 ‘Child care articles’ standardizes horizontal requirements for childcare products designed to ensure safe seating, bathing, feeding, sleeping, transport, and protection of children up to 4 years old. All of their work is in support of the General Product Safety Regulation 2023/988, alongside the safety requirements for children’s products (Commission Decision (EU) 2023/1338).

In 2026, the TC expects a new Standardization Request on children’s products. Furthermore, it will continue the work on various ENs and publish the following deliverables:

• EN 12790 ‘Child care articles – Reclined cradles and infant swings’
• EN 12221 ‘Child care articles – Changing units and changing pads for domestic use – Safety requirements and test methods’
• EN 14372 ‘Child care articles – Cutlery, feeding utensils and food feeders – Safety requirements and tests’

Leather

CEN/TC 289 'Leather' is responsible for the standardization of various aspects of leather, including test methods defining the characteristics of the material and technical requirements and terminology to be applied to raw hides and skins, tanned hides and skins, and finished leather. They are currently verifying the possibility to develop standards relevant to new requirements, such as thermal comfort, traceability, washability, and cleaning. In 2026, the TC will start working on three new standards:

• EN ISO 7979:2025 ‘Leather – Tests for colour fastness – Colour fastness to hydroalcoholic mixtures’
• EN ISO 23649:2025 ‘Chemicals for the leather tanning industry – Determination of cyclosiloxanes’
• EN ISO 25089:2025 ‘Leather – Tests for colour fastness – Colour fastness to sea water’

Lastly, prEN 18199 ‘Leather – Essential requirements for leather traceability’ is going to be completed in 2026.

Furniture

CEN/TC 207 'Furniture' carries out standardization in the field of all furniture, including terminology, test methods, safety and health, product environmental sustainability, and circular economy principles. In 2026, CEN/TC 207 will continue developing standards addressing the ecodesign requirements of the (EU) 2024/1781 Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), applied to the furniture products sector. Among these, the TC will also make progress with two new ENs on circularity:

• Furniture – Circularity – Guidance on reliability
• Furniture – Circularity – Evaluation method for maintenance, repair and refurbishing capability

Footwear

In the field of footwear, CEN/TC 309 'Footwear' is going to develop several new European Standards in 2026. These ENs will focus on the performance testing of footwear and sole components, including shock absorption, water resistance, compression fatigue, stiffness, and component-specific requirements, such as heels, top pieces, uppers, insoles, linings, shanks, and accessories. Other standards under development will focus on the assessment of critical substances, including volatile and non-volatile PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances), and the development of methods to evaluate antifungal activity. Work under the Vienna Agreement is expected to continue in 2026, adding new initiatives likely targeting sustainability, such as circularity and environmental responsibility in the footwear sector.

Appliances, solid fuels and firelighters for barbecuing

CEN/TC 281 'Appliances, solid fuels and firelighters for barbecuing' works on standardization for barbecues burning solid fuels, single-use barbecues burning solid fuels, solid fuels for use in barbecue appliances, and firelighters for igniting solid fuels for barbecuing. In 2026, CEN/TC 281 will further develop important work with EN 1860-4:2023/prA1 ’Appliances, solid fuels and firelighters for barbecuing – Part 4: Single use barbecues burning solid fuels – Requirements and test methods’.