Toy Association Staff Tackles COVID-19 Topics, Counterfeits, & More

July 14, 2020 | The Toy Association’s external affairs team has been tracking and advocating on federal, state, and international issues of importance to its members and the wider toy community. Read on for some important updates:

Federal Issues

  • The Toy Association remains in close communication with key officials as it continues to monitor the impact of COVID-19 on the global toy community. The team continues to update The Toy Association’s COVID-19 resource page, which includes business and retailer toolkits. Members are encouraged to check back often for updated information to help navigate the ongoing health crisis.

  • The Toy Association submitted a statement about counterfeit concerns in relation to online shopping (which has grown since the onset of the pandemic) for a recent House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing, “Consumers Beware: Increased Risks During the COVID-19 Pandemic.”

  • Americans for Free Trade, a coalition of 160 trade associations, including The Toy Association, filed comments with the House Ways and Means Committee to stress the ongoing damaging impact of tariffs and urged the Administration to lift 301 tariffs currently in place.

  • The Toy Association and its Children’s Online Safety Committee submitted comments to the Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) on its recent revision of the self-regulatory guidelines for children’s advertising (last updated in 2014). The Toy Association is participating in work groups to examine and discuss specific sections of the guidelines. To learn more about the proposed changes or to join The Toy Association’s Children’s Online Safety Committee, members may contact Leigh Moyers, senior manager of federal government affairs.

  • The Toy Association has joined a group of trade associations in signing letters to the Department of Treasury, the Federal Reserve, and the Department of Commerce, asking for the establishment of emergency federal commercial trade credit insurance to help companies through the emerging credit crisis.

  • Toy Association staff remains active with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Al Kaufman, senior vice president of technical affairs, serves on the EPA’s Scientific Advisory Committee on chemicals (which is conducting a peer review of risk evaluations), and the Association has submitted a petition for the agency to write a risk management rule.

State Issues

  • California’s Consumer Privacy Act is being enforced as of July 1. Companies that violate the act will be fined up to $7,500. Businesses will have 30 days to correct a problem before being brought to court by the Attorney General. The California Consumer Privacy Act includes data privacy violations affecting children.

International Issues

  • Toy Industries of Europe released a toy safety report regarding unreputable sellers on online marketplaces. The report aligns with The Toy Association’s advocacy priorities on this issue and recommends that EU marketplaces be designated importers or distributors of toys and regulated accordingly.

Toy Association members with questions or input on the Association’s external affairs activities may contact Heather Easley, assistant manger of external affairs.