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Updates on The Toy Association’s Advocacy Efforts

by KRISTIN MORENCY GOLDMAN, senior advisor, strategic communications, The Toy Association

The Toy Association advocates for your business — in major cities and states; in Washington, D.C.; and in dozens of capitols worldwide. Our activism continues to stop new, misguided regulations and legislation, while our fight against trade barriers and unwise policies further protects the business of toys and play.

FEDERAL ISSUES

The global shipping crisis has delivered a harmful blow to the toy industry thanks to undue delays and exorbitant, unjustified charges. To date, The Toy Association has urged the U.S. government to take action in response to the shipping crisis and its harmful impact on the industry by contacting congressional offices in support of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021, as a first step toward addressing shipping delays, increased costs, and container shortages. 

We remain part of a broad coalition of industries that collectively push for legislative and regulatory action, as we highlight the enormity of the problem — and the combined economic and consumer impacts — in the media. 

New resources, including a slate of shipping-related webinars and updates on U.S. ports, will be rolling out for members in the next few months.

Intellectual property (IP) protection is another key issue for our members, and the Association is continuing its fight against counterfeit toys by working closely with federal officials to drive support of IP protection bills, such as the SHOP SAFE Act and INFORM Consumers Act. We are also part of the Buy Safe America Coalition, which supports efforts at all levels of government to protect consumers and communities from selling counterfeit and stolen goods. Enhancing consumer awareness about how to spot fake toys and collaborating with government agencies to end the sale of illicit products remain critical components of our advocacy work on behalf of the toy community. 

STATE UPDATES

Last year, The Toy Association advocated on an unprecedented number of state bills. No new legislation specific to children’s products were approved, although a handful of broad consumer privacy bills passed into law. These will impact some members, and the Association’s external affairs team will be providing additional information as states move forward to implement these new regulations.

We are continuing our work on regulatory issues in New York and will move forward with litigation to resolve regulatory conflicts in Oregon. The Association remains focused on fighting state regulations for children’s products that are inconsistent with federal law, are not based on sound scientific criteria, do not improve product safety, or would place undue cost burdens on companies.

Related: The Toy Association’s 2023 Preview & 2022 Holiday Market Offers Something for Everyone

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

The Toy Association rolled out a new international membership category last year to address the needs of companies doing substantial business outside of North America. These members receive direct guidance on global issues and have the opportunity to participate in The Toy Association’s International Committee. To date, the committee has tackled everything from India market access and the Brazil conformity assessment to various proposals in EU member states.

Also on the global front, The Toy Association led a multistakeholder effort to defeat an International Organization for Standardization proposal for a standard on marketing to children, because it would have layered redundant requirements on top of existing, effective regulatory structures. We also successfully convinced several foreign markets to accept ASTM F963 safety requirements, including Jamaica and Colombia. This advocacy win will reduce trade barriers and testing costs for members doing business in these countries. 

“As The Toy Association, representing and protecting the North American toy community, advancing the business rights of our members, and ensuring the continued safety of toys is a crucial component of our work,” says Ed Desmond, executive vice president of external affairs at The Toy Association. “We are committed to maintaining our advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill and in state houses and local legislatures across the country, while continuing to operate globally to help shape policy and address onerous regulations. We encourage any member with an interest in our advocacy efforts to reach out and provide feedback or become involved in any one of our advocacy committees.”

Companies that would like to get involved or learn more are invited to contact The Toy Association’s Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Jennifer Gibbons (jgibbons@toyassociation.org).


This article was originally published in the June 2022 edition of the Toy Book. Click here to read the full issue!

About the author

Kristin Morency Goldman

Kristin Morency Goldman

As The Toy Association’s senior advisor of strategic communications, Kristin Morency Goldman keeps members of the toy community apprised of the latest global developments in toy trends, safety, retail, marketplace events, international trade, market research, and other topics impacting the business of toys and youth entertainment. She holds a master’s degree in media, culture, and communications from NYU.

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