As the industry prepares for the critical 2025 holiday season, The Toy Association™ is advocating for “zero for zero” tariffs on toys and working to ensure the voice of the toy industry is heard by congressional leaders and White House officials.

The Toy Association is currently urging the U.S. government to grant an immediate reprieve from tariffs on toys imported from China, so that toys are available on retail shelves and available for the holiday season. Beyond this short-term need, The Toy Association is also advocating for a longer-term solution, urging U.S. leaders to secure "zero for zero" tariffs on toys through bilateral negotiations with trading partners.

“We respectfully request that the Administration protect childhood learning and development, with ‘zero for zero’ tariffs on toys as history and precedent support,” said Kathrin Belliveau, chief policy officer at The Toy Association. “We hope to work together to protect children and keep learning and play tariff-free.”

There is strong precedent for this request. In 1994, the Uruguay General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) established a "zero for zero" tariff structure on toys, recognizing the essential role toys play in child development, learning, and creative play. Subsequent rulings by the World Trade Organization (WTO) reaffirmed this commitment to tariff-free treatment of toys.

The essential nature of toys has been highlighted time and again, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, when governors and states across the U.S. designated toys as "essential products" to support learning at home. Teachers relied on toys for online education, using them to teach subjects like math, art, and engineering.

Additionally, learning materials such as books and toys are typically considered essential by the U.S. government and exempt from tariffs. For example, under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), books and other educational materials are specifically carved out from trade restrictions.

Click here to view the global toy industry’s support for "zero for zero" tariffs.