The Sixth 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, 8-12 November 2010) invited UNCTAD to convene two expert meetings on consumer policy between the Review Conferences, separate from the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Competition Law and Policy.
Following the first expert meeting in 2012, Ad Hoc Expert Meeting on Consumer Protection: The interface between competition and consumer policies, it was decided that UNCTAD should begin a consultation process on the revision United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection (UNGCP). UNCTAD asked Member States, international organizations and other relevant stakeholders to participate in this important project, by informing of the legislative processes of Member States, along with contemporary guidelines produced by OECD, OAS, ICPEN, UNCITRAL and Consumers International, among others.
As a result of this consultation and call for contributions, the Secretariat produced the Implementation Report on the United Nations guidelines for Consumer Protection (1985 - 2013). This assessment reiterates that the UNGCP remain a valid and relevant document for consumer protection policy and have inspired a significant number of national consumer protection laws. In order for these Guidelines to continue to provide a relevant framework, the report identifies a number of areas for the improvement of the UNGCP, tonsure that they address new and contemporary issues that are at the forefront of consumer protection policy.
The Second Ad Hoc Expert Meeting on Consumer Protection will discuss the Implementation Report and its conclusions, plus further issues that have been highlighted by Member States and stakeholders as candidates for inclusion in the UNGCP revision process.
Quick links:
Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Competition Law and Policy, thirteenth session (08-10 July 2013)
Ad Hoc Expert Meeting on Consumer Protection (12-13 July 2012)
The Sixth UN Review Conference
