How does the European Union intend that games are safe for children?
Dinosaurs, dolls or dragon? From now on, chemicals that cause health risks and development in games that are sold in the European Union will be banned. The European Parliament and the Council have reached a temporary agreement on the most striking security requirements for manufacturers and sellers, including those working on online platforms. The ban will affect those chemicals that can cause cancer, change of DNA, or damage to reproductive organs.
Dangerous products are almost everywhere in our daily life: Most (36 %) are found in cosmetics, according to the data provided by the European Commission. But the surprising thing is that games are the second category of the most dangerous products (with 15 %), before devices (with 10 %). Game risk is mostly associated with chemicals.
One in five distinctive products as dangerous and withdrawing from the European Union market is a game. Therefore, before providing a game on the market, manufacturers must make a security evaluation that covers all potential risks. Games will need a digital passport for the product in the form of a quick response code that shows that they meet safety standards.
But it cannot prevent the best security legislation from bad sellers from selling illegal games; Therefore, EUROPOL has published instructions on how to recognize the wrong and dangerous games: if the price is very nice so that it cannot be true, if the mandatory stickers are missing, or if the game is sold in a transparent plastic bag instead of its normal cover or if the brand or instructions contain spelling errors, you should not buy.
Marion and Al -Samman (PPE), Vice -President of the European Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee, the main negotiator in the file on the safety of the games. Also announced “Eurono”, the legislation has wide political support. “There was a wide consensus as the previous regulations, dating back to 2009, needed an urgent review. There was also a general consensus to change the direction to the list.”
Walsmann also created the calendar: “The next step is that some technical improvements and installations must be made. Then, the internal market committee will again offer its approval to vote. After that, it will go to the plenary session in October for the final vote, and then, it will be published in the Official Gazette of the European Union.
Once you review the standards, the European Union for Children offers possible games. Children will be more protection than invisible risks such as harmful chemicals, including endocrine disorders, and PFAs, also known as “eternal chemicals”. Their parents will be able to access all the information they need about each game.
