European toy companies call for greater accountability in online toy sales

A group of 180 European toy companies is calling on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to address what they describe as an accountability gap in the online sale of toys to EU consumers.

In a letter to von der Leyen, the companies argue that the rapid growth of e-commerce has made it possible for unsafe toys to reach European families through online platforms, particularly when sellers are based outside the EU or cannot be identified. According to the companies, this leaves market surveillance authorities without an effective party within the EU to hold responsible.

The problem

The companies say this situation creates a double problem: children may be exposed to unsafe products, while European businesses that invest in product safety, testing and compliance face competition from sellers that do not bear the same costs.

As the European Commission finalises the European Product Act, the companies are calling for every toy sold to EU consumers to have a clearly identifiable economic operator established within the EU who is responsible for compliance. If no such operator exists or can be identified, they propose that the online platform facilitating the sale should assume this responsibility.

The letter refers to Toy Industries of Europe’s mystery‑shopping projects, which found high levels of non‑compliance and unsafe toys among products purchased through online marketplaces. The companies stress that a toy purchased online should provide the same level of safety as one bought in a physical toy shop.

The role of the Digital Services Act 

The signatories welcome the Commission’s efforts to modernise customs, strengthen market surveillance and introduce digital tools such as the Digital Product Passport. They also recognise the role of the Digital Services Act in addressing systemic risks on major online platforms. However, they argue that these measures do not resolve the question of who is legally accountable for an individual product when there is no responsible EU-based operator.

The companies believe the European Product Act provides an opportunity to close this gap. They emphasise that their proposal is not intended to require online platforms to guarantee the compliance of every product sold through them, nor to create additional burdens for responsible businesses or restrict e-commerce.

EU safety standards

Instead, they are calling for a system in which all companies selling toys to European consumers are subject to the same rules and in which EU safety standards are supported by effective accountability. According to the signatories, this would help protect both children and European toy companies that invest in safety, quality, compliance, and innovation.

Source: Press Release TIE