In 2020, the Eighth United Nations Conference to Review All Aspects of the Set of Multilaterally Agreed Equitable Principles and Rules for the Control of Restrictive Business Practices, decided that UNCTAD should establish a working group on modalities of UNCTAD voluntary peer review exercises, open to member States on a voluntary basis, without any financial implications for the regular budget of the United Nations, to discuss and improve existing procedures and methodology, to report respectively to the Intergovernmental Groups of Experts on Competition and Consumer Protection laws and policies.

The Working Group meets regularly and informally through teleconferences and is open Government representatives, with relevant expertise (for example national competition and consumer protection authorities); interested international organizations and networks; and relevant stakeholders from the private sector, civil society and academia.