Children Banned from Blowing Up Balloons

(Brussels, Belgium) The European Union has outlawed balloon blowing by children and unwashable teddy bears.

The EU toy safety directive, agreed and implemented by Government, states that balloons must not be blown up by unsupervised children under the age of eight, in case they accidentally swallow them and choke.

Despite having been popular favourites for generations of children, party games including whistles and magnetic fishing games are to be banned because their small parts or chemicals used in making them are decreed to be too risky.

Apparently harmless toys that children have enjoyed for decades are now regarded by EU regulators as posing an unacceptable safety risk.

Additionally, teddy bears are now required to be "fully washable" to prevent the spread of disease. It's logical to expect that rules are being drafted which specify washing frequency for for teddy bears and enforcement actions for noncompliance.

Meanwhile, these new safety actions will require safety warning labels to be attached to the balloons and teddy bears.