DVSI POSITIONS
What motivates us and what we stand for.
DVSI positions
Playing is a central part of our lives.
It fosters development, creativity, relationships, and healthy growth. Together with our member companies and partners , we are committed to safe, high-quality toys and responsible, sustainable practices throughout the entire value chain. We protect what requires responsibility and advocate for clear regulations and fair competition – so that toys earn trust.
VALUE OF PLAY
Our DNA
Value of Play
Value of Play – Playing is a basic need
Play is one of humanity's most important cultural techniques. It accompanies us throughout our lives, fostering creativity, learning, social skills, and mental health. For children, play is the foundation of healthy physical and psychosocial development – for adolescents and adults, it is a space for balance, innovation, and community.
Toys are far more than just products: they provide impetus for education, promote participation, connect people from different backgrounds, and strengthen democratic values. Play creates orientation, resilience, and future skills – especially in a time of social upheaval, growing uncertainty, and global crises.
As the German Toy Industry Association (DVSI), we are committed to giving play the recognition it deserves. This includes the recognition of the toy industry as an independent sub-sector of the cultural and creative industries. We stand for high-quality, safe, and responsibly manufactured toys, as well as for fair conditions that enable innovation, diversity, and inclusion.
Because playing doesn't just strengthen children – it strengthens our society.
TOY SAFETY
Our Expertise
Toy Safety
We are against unsafe toys!
Toys accompany children as they grow, learn, and discover. That's why one thing is paramount for the members of the DVSI: the highest quality and therefore maximum safety. Good toys should bring joy and function reliably at the same time. Because safety always comes first.
This responsibility demands great care and a high level of commitment throughout the entire supply chain – from development to market launch. To ensure consistently high safety standards, the DVSI has developed a comprehensive toy safety concept. It strengthens knowledge and awareness of responsibility within the supply chain and supports all stakeholders in bringing toys to market safely and in compliance with regulations.
With sicherspielen.info, the DVSI also addresses parents directly. The platform offers practical tips on buying toys, guidance on age-appropriate toys, and answers from experts, even on sensitive topics like magnets or batteries. For greater safety. And peace of mind while playing.
SUSTAINABILITY
Our Responsibility
Sustainability
Think sustainably. Act sustainably. Secure the future.
With the 2030 Agenda, the United Nations adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, thus creating a global framework for sustainable business practices. Germany is one of the signatory states. But regardless of international goals, one thing is already clear: companies bear responsibility. They must actively reduce the impact of their actions on the environment and society. Only sustainable, values-based business practices that combine ecological, social, and economic goals are viable for the future. Our position on this is clear: sustainability pays off, including economically.
The German Toy Industry Association (DVSI) and the toy industry are aware of this responsibility. The association is actively involved in the "Environment" working group of the Fair Toys Organisation (FTO), a multi-stakeholder initiative for fair and environmentally friendly toys. Furthermore, the DVSI's Sustainability Working Group has been intensively engaged for many years with all relevant aspects of sustainable practices. It supports member companies in their transformation through information, exchange, and networking with experts. This work is supported by external specialists from the DVSI.
At the same time, numerous initiatives are emerging directly within toy companies: They are investing in sustainable materials, new production processes, and innovative solutions for the future. In this way, responsibility is being translated step by step into concrete action – for a toy industry that impresses today and will endure tomorrow.
CHEAP ONLINE SHOPPING PLATFORMS
Our Impulse
Cheap Online Shopping Platforms
Risk to children and fair competition
Few issues are currently occupying the toy industry as much as the business practices of discount online shopping platforms like TEMU or Shein, which systematically violate applicable law in the European Single Market. Recent mystery shopping studies by Toy Industries of Europe (TIE) paint an alarming picture: the vast majority of toys tested from third countries are not EU-compliant, many products have serious safety defects and pose a concrete risk to children.
The sale of illegal and unsafe toys is unacceptable. It endangers children's safety, undermines consumer confidence, and creates massive distortions of competition to the detriment of responsible companies in Europe. At the same time, these practices jeopardize jobs and established quality and safety standards.
While policymakers in Berlin and Brussels have recognized the problem, the measures taken so far are insufficient. The planned imposition of customs duties on packages from third countries can only be a first step. A comprehensive overall strategy remains crucial: online marketplaces must be held accountable as responsible economic operators, market surveillance and customs measures must be strengthened, and existing regulations must be consistently enforced.
For years, the DVSI, together with policymakers, consumer protection groups, retailers, businesses, and partner associations, has been working across Europe to close these loopholes. We exert pressure through studies, political dialogue, and clear demands. We advocate for effective consumer protection, safe toys, and fair competition. And we will not let up: Even in 2026, the fight against low-cost online shopping platforms will remain a key priority for the DVSI.
BÜROKRATIEABBAU
Our Playing Field
Bureaucracy Reduction
Reducing bureaucracy: Relieving the burden on companies, enabling fair competition
Bureaucracy and increasing regulatory density are burdening the German economy and Germany as a business location. This also affects companies in the toy industry. Almost 80 percent of DVSI member companies consider bureaucracy and regulatory burdens to be the biggest business challenge – even more so than demographic change.
The economic impact of documentation and reporting requirements runs into the billions. The National Regulatory Control Council estimates the costs at around 64 billion euros; economic research institutes assess the burden at approximately 146 billion euros. The effort and bureaucracy are often disproportionate to the information gained and, moreover, create competitive disadvantages for low-cost platforms from third countries that circumvent German and European regulations.
More than half of the bureaucratic burden stems from European directives and regulations. 55 percent of European SMEs consider them a major problem. The toy industry, which is particularly affected by the new and complex toy regulation, is no exception. Simplifying European legislation is therefore crucial for competitiveness and the investment climate.
The German economy, and the toy industry in particular, urgently needs relief through the reduction of excessive regulation. The goal of reforms must be fewer, but simpler, more pragmatic, and trust-based rules. With its modernization agenda, the German government launched a program for reducing bureaucracy in 2025. Initial measures have been adopted, marking a first step. Further steps must follow. The DVSI will advocate for the reduction of further bureaucratic hurdles in both Berlin and Brussels. Our aim is to shape bureaucracy in a way that protects without hindering – and gives the toy industry the entrepreneurial freedom it needs for innovation, quality, and fair competition.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Our Attitude
Social Media for Children
Social Media – Keeping Both Goals in Mind
The ban on children and adolescents under the age of 16 from owning their own accounts on major social media platforms, which has been in effect in Australia since 2025, has sparked a global debate about age-based access and functional restrictions on social media. European countries such as France, the United Kingdom, and Denmark have announced their intention to follow Australia’s example. Germany is also considering possible new legal regulations. The interdisciplinary expert commission of the federal government is expected to develop recommendations for action by mid-2026.
Social media plays an important social role for children and adolescents. However, it also entails significant risks, for example through political influence. Numerous studies also demonstrate a connection between the use of social media and increasing psychosocial strain. So the question arises: Is there a need for more regulation, or even a social media ban, in order to protect children and adolescents from the burdens associated with social media?
In principle, the guiding principle is: prevention takes precedence over prohibition. With the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the guidelines on the protection of minors, Europe already has regulations in place to protect children and adolescents from risks. For their effective implementation and compliance, platform operators are responsible. Violations must be met with swift and tangible consequences.
The DVSI supports the federal government’s initiative to strengthen the protection of children and young people in the digital world—such as secure default settings and mandatory age verification on digital devices. A proposed staggered, age-based solution introduced into the discussion by experts is a possible approach to reconcile both objectives: protecting children and adolescents while also ensuring digital participation.
EmpCo Guideline
