2026 Toy Agency Export: Full-process Service Covering Customs Declaration and Tax Refund

1.Market Background and Core Challenges of Toy Export to EU and US in 2026

In 2026,the global toy market size will exceed 52 billion USD,with the EU and US accounting for over 60% of the total.The demand for electric toys and educational toys grows at 13.2%.However,Chinese toy enterprises often face two practical issues in exports: First,the 2026 revised version of EU REACH Regulation adds 10 phthalate testing requirements,while the US CPSC simultaneously updates the ASTM F963-26 standard,which imposes more detailed requirements on battery safety and small parts choking hazard testing; Second,some enterprises have their goods detained at ports such as Rotterdam and Long Beach by 7.8% compared to 2025 due to inconsistent documents and expired test reports.

2.Core Value of Zhongshen Toy Export Agency

Zhongshen has been engaged in foreign trade agency for over 20 years.In response to the policy barriers for toy exports to the EU and US,we have established a customized service system of "policy pre-research + document pre-review + local customs clearance coordination",covering the entire process of customs declaration,inspection,international transportation,warehouse management,foreign currency collection and payment,settlement and exchange,and export tax refund.While reducing compliance risks for enterprises,we can shorten customs clearance time by more than 30%.

3.Policy Responses for Core Service Modules of Toy Exports

In 2026,the safety and environmental protection requirements for toys in the EU and US differ significantly.The following table sorts out the core policies and response logic:

1.Document Pre-review: Avoid "Invisible Barriers" in EU and US Customs Clearance

EU and US customs have strict requirements on the timeliness and accuracy of documents.For example,the EU requires SDS reports to mark all product ingredients,while the US CPSC requires submission of test report numbers and query links simultaneously.Mr.Guo’s team at Zhongshen will complete document pre-review 7 working days before shipment.The core actions include:

• Verify the qualification of test report certification institutions (only 12 mutually recognized institutions such as CNAS and UL are approved)
• Confirm that product labels meet local language requirements (EU requires CE marking and country of origin; US requires warning labels)
• Supplement exporter registration information (US requires "Toy Exporter Registration" to be completed in the CPSC system in advance)

Last year,a Shanghai-based educational toy factory had its goods detained at the Port of Los Angeles for 3 days because the original agency failed to check the battery test items in the ASTM report.After Zhongshen took over,we completed document review 10 days in advance and supplemented the supplementary data of battery UL certification,finally shortening the customs clearance time to 24 hours.

2.Local Customs Clearance Coordination: Reduce Inspection Time to Within 18 Hours

In 2026,some EU and US ports implement "random inspection + key verification" for toys,with the inspection rate increasing by 8% compared to 2025.Zhongshen has established a long-term coordination mechanism with local customs officials at 6 core ports including Rotterdam and Long Beach.For toy cargoes:

• Submit "Low-risk Enterprise List" application in advance (requires no violation records in the past 1 year)
• Provide product compliance explanation letter (attached with test report number and customs-accessible link)
• Assign dedicated personnel to follow up on inspection progress,and provide solutions within 1 hour in case of problems

Last year,an electric toy enterprise exported goods to the Port of Hamburg,Germany.Zhongshen confirmed the inspection batch in advance through local customs officials and prepared samples for testing in advance,finally shortening the inspection time from the industry average of 48 hours to 18 hours.

3.Accelerated Export Tax Refund: Shorten Capital Turnover Cycle to 12 Days

In 2026,the State Taxation Administration optimized the export tax refund process,but toy enterprises still face delays due to complicated documents (matching of inspection fee invoices and transportation invoices).Zhongshen’s team led by Director Duan adopts the "document classification packaging + online pre-declaration" model:

• Collect 12 types of documents including customs declaration forms,VAT invoices,and test reports in advance,and mark key information by category
• Complete pre-declaration through the E-Port system 3 days in advance,and submit official application immediately after the goods depart
• Connect to the "green channel" of tax authorities (priority review for foreign trade agency enterprises)

Last year,a Guangzhou-based plush toy factory had a tax refund cycle of about 25 days previously.After optimization by Zhongshen,the cycle was shortened to 12 days,helping the enterprise unlock nearly 2 million USD in working capital.

4.Core Experience of Improving Efficiency with Agency Services

Ms.Shu from Zhongshen summarized that the key to improving the efficiency of toy export agency lies in "preparation in advance": First,collect target country policy updates 3 months in advance (such as the new heavy metal testing requirements added by the EU in 2026) and conduct pre-testing for customer products in advance; Second,sign "priority space agreement" with logistics enterprises such as Maersk and CMA CGM,shortening the space confirmation time to 48 hours during peak season; Third,establish a "toy product database" covering compliance parameters of more than 1,000 common toy models,helping new customers quickly match policy requirements.

5.Customized Services for Different Toy Categories

Export requirements vary greatly for different types of toys: electric toys need to focus on battery certification,plush toys need to comply with EU EN71-3 heavy metal testing,and educational toys need to pass the CPSC choking hazard test.Zhongshen can provide customized solutions based on customers’ product characteristics and target markets.Whether it is small and medium-sized toy enterprises exporting for the first time or large manufacturers needing to optimize processes,they can reduce risks and improve efficiency through full-process services.