An EU survey has found that 1 in 10 clothing items having cords and drawstrings are a danger to young children.

Market surveillance authorities in 11 Member States inspected more than 16,000 such garments between 2008 and 2010, checking, in particular, the safety of children's clothes with cords and drawstrings, with which there can be a risk of strangulation.

The main aim of the project was to reduce the amount of unsafe children's clothing on the EU market, whether produced in Europe or imported

John Dalli, Commissioner in charge of Health and Consumer Policy said: "It is for each parent or carer to judge how best to manage the safety of their children. Our concern is that parents should be able to choose garments for their children without having to worry about safety. We must be vigilant on behalf of our most vulnerable consumers and products reaching our markets must meet safety requirements. My message to parents is 'be aware' and my message to business is that you are responsible for the safety of the products you bring on the market."

The issue

The surveillance project was launched after European market authorities received reports of accidents where cords or drawstrings on children's clothes became entangled in bicycles, doors, car doors, or playground equipment, leading to severe injury or death.

National accident statistics showed that such accidents fell into two groups by age: i) younger children where entrapment of hood cords in playground equipment such as slides, resulted in fatalities; ii) older children where cords and strings from the waist and lower hems of garments were entrapped in moving vehicles such as bus doors, ski lifts and bicycles resulting in severe injuries or death from being dragged or run over by the vehicle.

The recommendations

The EU said that manufacturers, distributors, importers and retailers must ensure that cords and drawstrings in children clothes comply with the European standard EN 14682:2007 or provide an equivalent level of safety.

Parents and caregivers can also follow basic recommendations, including:

• Clothes for children up to 7 years (height 1.34 m) should not have cords or drawstrings in the hood and neck area.

• Clothes for 7 and14 year olds should not have cords longer than 75 mm (7,5 cm) in the hood and neck area or drawstrings with free ends. Cords in the hood and neck area should not be elastic except for shoulder straps and halter necks.

• Clothes for children should not have cords or drawstrings with free ends longer than 140 mm (14 cm) in the chest and waist area.

• Halter neck-style children's clothes should not have loose ends in the hood and neck area.

• Children's clothes intended to be tied at the front should not have tied belts or sashes longer than 360mm (36 cm).when measured untied from the point where they are to be tied 6.