The Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Consumer Protection Law and Policy,
Recalling the resolution adopted by the Seventh United Nations Conference to Review All Aspects of the Set of Multilaterally Agreed Equitable Principles and Rules for the Control of Restrictive Business Practices (Geneva, Switzerland, July 2015),[1]
Recalling General Assembly resolution 70/1, “Transforming our world:
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, of 25 September 2015,
Recalling further General Assembly resolution 70/186, “Consumer protection”,
of 22 December 2015, containing the revised United Nations guidelines for consumer protection,
Recalling the provisions related to consumer protection issues adopted by the fourteenth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
(Nairobi, July 2016), including the provisions in paragraph 76 (x) of the Nairobi Maafikiano,[2]
Recalling paragraph 69 of the Nairobi Maafikiano, which reaffirms that fair, sound and robust national competition and consumer protection laws and policies are also important, as is international cooperation, information exchange and capacity-building in these areas, particularly in light of the expansion of global markets, the increasing role of transnational companies, the need for enhanced transparency and accountability, the information and communications technology revolution and the emergence of electronic commerce (e-commerce),
Underlining that consumer protection law and policy is a key instrument for addressing unfair commercial practices in a globalized and interdependent world, including by enhancing the transparency and accountability of businesses, resource mobilization, the empowerment of consumers and poverty reduction and by promoting inclusive economic and social policies,
Recognizing that an effective enabling environment for consumer protection and development may include both national consumer policies and international cooperation to deal with cross-border unfair commercial practices,
Recognizing further the need to strengthen the work of UNCTAD on consumer protection law and policy so as to enhance its development role and benefits for consumers and business,
Noting with satisfaction the important written and oral contributions from consumer protection authorities and other participants that enriched the debate during its first session,
Taking note with appreciation the documentation prepared by the UNCTAD secretariat for its first session,
- Welcomes the adoption of the United Nations guidelines for consumer protection by the General Assembly.
- Decides that it shall adopt the standard procedures and methods of work for other United Nations meetings, as detailed in the note by the UNCTAD secretariat entitled “Method of work and work programme, 2016–2020”.[3]
- Encourages interested member States to volunteer for a peer review on consumer protection law and policy in accordance with available resources.
- Requests the UNCTAD secretariat to integrate the suggestions made by participants during the first session of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on the voluntary peer reviews on consumer protection law and policy when developing a framework for this purpose.
- Invites all member States and their consumer protection authorities to assist UNCTAD on a voluntary basis by providing experts or other resources for future and follow-up activities in connection with voluntary peer reviews and the implementation of their recommendations.
- Emphasizes the need to engage stakeholders in the implementation of the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular with regard to inclusive consumer protection policies; and welcomes the participation of consumer associations, civil society, business representatives and academia in the deliberations of the sessions of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts.
- Takes note with interest of the importance of harnessing the collaborative economy to increase the welfare of consumers worldwide while minimizing its risks; invites member States to continue their efforts in charting international best practices in this area; and stresses the need to strengthen international cooperation, including informal collaboration, among agencies.
- Welcomes the initiatives carried out thus far by individual member States, UNCTAD and other organizations and networks in building capacities and strengthening institutions in the area of consumer protection; and calls upon all interested parties to work together and identify and strengthen synergies, while avoiding duplication.
- Emphasizes the importance of regional cooperation in the enforcement of consumer protection law and policy; and invites consumer protection authorities to strengthen their bilateral, regional and international cooperation.
- Requests UNCTAD to promote and support cooperation between Governments and consumer protection authorities in accordance with the Nairobi Maafikiano
(paragraph 76 (x)) and the United Nations guidelines for consumer protection (guidelines 79–94).
- Decides that the work programme of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts for 2016–2020 regarding studies and research will consist of one horizontal issue and one vertical issue per session, which will be decided on an annual basis at each session.
- Requests the UNCTAD secretariat to prepare reports and studies for the second session of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on the following topics:
(a) Legal and institutional framework for consumer protection;
(b) E-commerce.
- Requests the UNCTAD secretariat to prepare, for the consideration of the second session of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts, an updated review of capacity-building and technical assistance, taking into account information to be received from member States.
- Requests the UNCTAD secretariat to publish a list of contact persons of consumer protection authorities to facilitate cooperation under the United Nations guidelines for consumer protection, in accordance with guideline 87.
- Encourages member States to pursue consultations towards a declaration by the General Assembly of 15 March as world consumers day.
- Notes with appreciation the voluntary financial and other contributions received from member States; invites member States to continue to assist UNCTAD on a voluntary basis in its capacity-building and technical cooperation activities by providing experts, training facilities or financial resources; and requests the UNCTAD secretariat to pursue its capacity-building and technical cooperation activities, including training, and, where possible, focus such activities on maximizing their impact in all interested countries.
[1] TD/RBP/CONF.8/11.
[2] TD/519/Add.2.
[3] TD/B/C.I/CPLP/2.
