EU Extend the Validity of Decision 2006/502/EC again

UE published commission implementing decision 2012/53/EU on the official journal to extend the validity of Decision 2006/502/EC, by one year periods until 11 May, 2012, requiring Member States to take measures to ensure that only lighters which are child-resistant are placed on the market and to prohibit the placing on the market of novelty lighters.

“Child-resistant lighter” shall mean a lighter designed and manufactured in such a way that it cannot, under normal or reasonably foreseeable conditions of use, be operated by children younger than 51 months of age because of, for instance, the force needed to operate it or because of its design or the protection of its ignition mechanism, or the complexity or sequence of operations needed for the ignition. Novelty lighters are recognized as appealing to or intended for use by children younger than 51 months, or has entertaining audio effects or animated effects, such as cartoon characters, toys, musical instruments, animals or food.

Any lighter that meet requirements under EU standard EN 13869:2002 is recognized as meeting the requirement of Decision 2006/502/EC.

Nevertheless, the definition of children-resistant shall not apply to refillable lighters with a continual expected safe use over a lifetime if at least five years, subject to repair. And all novelty lighters are prohibited to be placed on the market without prejudice.