In December 2013, the Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) adopted an opinion on Sweden’s proposal to restrict lead and its compounds in consumer articles that can be placed in the mouth by small children, and the Committee for Socio-economic Analysis (SEAC) agreed its draft opinion on the same proposal. SEAC plans to adopt its final opinion in March 2014.

In the draft opinion, SEAC agreed the majority of the proposal submitted by Sweden that articles that can be placed in the mouth by children shall not be placed on the market, if the concentration of lead (expressed as metal) in that article, or part of articles, is equal to or greater than 0.05% by weight, and proposed several exemptions.

RAC concluded that children’s central nervous systems, particularly IQ will be affected if they mouth such articles containing lead. Lead is used in metal alloys, pigment dyes and as a stabiliser in plastic, for example, in buttons, zippers, accessories and other clothing items, interior decorations, and articles for sports and leisure.