Toy Association Attends Fact-Finding Meeting on Potential Gulf Region Alignment with U.S. Safety Standards

July 25, 2024 | The Toy Association™ assisted the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and ASTM International by presenting the U.S. toy safety and technical regulations for a delegation from the Gulf region and other key stakeholders at an international roundtable on July 18 in Washington, DC. Importantly, the meeting initiated a dialogue and explored opportunities for ongoing discussions, with a focus on potential alignment or future recognition of U.S. toy safety standards in the Gulf region.

These discussions, hosted by ANSI, included representatives from the Gulf Cooperation Council Standardization Organization (GSO); the Saudi Standards, Metrology, and Quality Organization (SASO); Kuwait Public Authority for Industry; ASTM International; Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International; and the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration.

The meeting was requested by the visiting delegation, which sought insights into the U.S. regulatory approach and standards for toys and automobiles. The Toy Association’s Joan Lawrence, senior vice president of standards & regulatory affairs, and Jos Huxley, senior vice president of technical affairs, presented information on the U.S.'s multi-stakeholder, risk-based approach to toy safety regulations and the strengths of its technical requirements.

“U.S. toymakers adhere to more than 100 stringent federal safety rules and regulations, which are regarded as the gold standard in toy safety and emulated globally,” Lawrence said. “Through open dialogue and collaboration, we work to harmonize safety standards and encourage consistent protections of consumers worldwide. We welcome this continuing dialogue with the Gulf Region representatives.”

Members may reach out to Joan Lawrence or Jos Huxley with any questions on this topic.