November 15th sees the opening of US-China Toy Safety Conference 2007 Held in Guangdong, the largest toy production base in the world. Organized by AQSIQ and other six organizers this year, the conference comes to its 12th session, which is scheduled once a year. But due to special circumstance, it calls people in the trade together once again after its session in this July.
During the meeting of chiefs of CPSC and Guangdong Toy Association (GDTA), we sense variable in toy market of US. Toys exported to US will encounter new challenge, about which we should give great concern.
Toy Industry Association, Inc. (TIA), U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), NEMA (USTDA Program Contractor), AQSIQ, Certification and Accreditation Administration (CNCA), Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) and China Toy Association (CTA) have co-organized the “2007 US-China Toy Safety Conference” in Guangzhou, on November 15th. Shangri-La Hotel welcomes exceeding 300 participators from toy makers and inspection institutes.
It’s second big event after a similar conference this year. It is shows that, since this August, voluntary recalls announced by foreign toy brand makers have aroused wide concern of public on toy industry and producers. During the past two decades, enormous toys with good quality but low price have been distributed to U.S. from China, over 95 percent of which are made in the way of OEM. Obviously, toys made in China come with an excellent track record. Against new challenge, both China and U.S. attach high recognition on the essence of the affair. Hence they probe into product design standard, inspection item as well as any latent risk results from production sector and process.
China’s officials present themselves in the conference have delivered an all-round introduction to recent countermeasures of governmental departments recently, which include:
♦ Held conference and symposium concerning related law and regulation;
♦ Improved Quality License System on Toy Export (Registration) and China Compulsory Certification (3C);
♦ Maker and operator are determined as the first entity responsible for production and sales;
♦ Exported toys must tally with importers’ requirement and contract terms;
♦ No goods can be exported before passing stated inspection procedure;
♦ To undertake recall on products with hidden hazard;
♦ Emphasized highlight item during inspection, such as small component and lead;
♦ Rectified toy exporters and ceased the export business of those who fail to meet standard;
♦ Urged and helped companies to construct strict assessment on raw material suppliers;
♦ Implemented recording and tracing system on materials with high risk, such as paint and PVC
On the other hand, U.S. representatives have also give systemic speech on U.S. government’s foundation and power for supervision on imported products, voluntary principle and mandatory standard, etc.
CPSC urges importers and suppliers to put a high value upon product standards and compliance standards. Furthermore, qualification statement, applicable standard, label, third party certification as well as the comparison between testing fee and lost results from recall should be attentive to.
Particularly, U.S. will advance stricter requirement on lead, who intends to limit it to as low as zero. In addition, U.S. representative reviews the process of the Senate and the House of Representatives on legislation about penalty.
Latent risk on toys, future technique standards, data analyses, preventives, controlling of lead on paint and kids’ jewels and other practical cases. Attendees receive a good lecture of a most refreshing sort.
TIA and CTA make joint declaration that, the both sides would urge related departments to actualize more communication and cooperation. In the coming holiday season, US would endeavor to retrieve American confidence on toys. Production chain, quality system and core competitiveness that guarantee perfect operation of Sino-US toy transaction have been constructed with years of effort. It is a treasure for the both sides. █ |