BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:unctad.org BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6adb4740453df DTSTART:20220928T080000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20220928T160000Z LOCATION:Geneva\, Switzerland SUMMARY:Ad Hoc Expert Meeting on Competition\, Consumer Protection and Sust ainability CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:Sustainability has become an important area of discussion in th e competition and consumer protection law and policy circles. Competition \, consumer protection and sustainability are all intersecting. Consumer empowerment and business efforts can significantly contribute to promoting sustainable consumption and production and to the achievement of the Unit ed Nations Sustainable Development Goals. When empowered consumers value t he importance of sustainable products and make well-informed decisions\, b usinesses have an incentive become more sustainable.\n\nCompetition and su stainability\n\nCompetition law is\, in principle\, aligned with sustai nability goals. However\, there may be tensions between the two in certai n circumstances. For instance\, it is costly to invest in sustainable prod ucts which may in turn lead to price increases and hamper competitiveness. A firm would not take the risk of incurring additional costs to become mo re sustainable if it is the only one to do so. To avoid such a risk\, firm s may need to cooperate or collaborate on sustainability initiatives with their competitors\, which is in principle prohibited by competition law.\n \nCompetition authorities need to consider to what extent cooperation or c oordination on sustainability can be permitted. With that in mind\, the Eu ropean Commission\, in March 2022\, launched a public consultation on two draft revised Horizontal Block Exemptions (Research and Development\, and Specialization) and Horizontal Guidelines which included a new chapter on the assessment of horizontal agreements pursuing sustainability objective s.[1]\n\nThe first session will address different views and perspectives f or encouraging sustainability initiatives on the one hand and ensuring mar ket competition on the other hand.\n\nQuestions for discussion:\n\n\nShoul d competition authorities shift to a more lenient approach regarding susta inability agreements? To what extent should competition authorities consid er out of-market efficiencies in their competition considerations?\nApart from sustainability agreements between competitors\, what areas of competi tion law enforcement could conflict with sustainability initiatives? How s hould competition authorities approach so called “green killer acquisiti on”?\nTo date\, apart from the European Union Green deal\, there may not be sustainability initiatives with a regional dimension. In the future ho w can regional economic organizations contribute to coordination between c ompetition and sustainability objectives?\nWhat are the challenges develop ing countries are facing and how can they be addressed? How can UNCTAD ass ist them in responding to those challenges?\n\n\nConsumer protection and s ustainability\n\nConsumer protection law and policy plays a central role i n promoting sustainable development. The United Nations Guidelines for Con sumer Protection (UNGCP) contain detailed and valuable recommendations on improving sustainable consumption in order to harness the transformative p ower of consumers. Initiatives include consumer education and awareness-ra ising initiatives on sustainability and as well as monitoring green claims for consumers’ informed decisions. Businesses should engage in sustaina bility initiatives in a responsible manner such as Voluntary Sustainabilit y Standards (VSS) and adhere to BioTrade Principles as means to get their activities towards sustainable outcomes. The rights of consumers to safe a nd effective products and services go together with their responsibility t o help preserve the planet. Member states need to bring up more holistic a nd strategic initiatives and tools to nudge consumers towards more sustain able consumption habits.\n\nThe second session will address how to shape a nd enhance consumer empowerment to promote sustainable consumption and pro duction.\n\nQuestions for discussion:\n\n\nWhat are the challenges develop ing countries are facing in implementing initiatives on promoting sustaina ble consumption?\nHow can member States design and formulate consumer prot ection policy to nudge consumers towards sustainable consumption?\nHow can businesses better communicate with consumers to encourage sustainable con sumption? For instance\, how can businesses induce consumers to consider b iodiversity in their purchasing decisions? How can businesses enhance the credibility of Voluntary Sustainability Standards vis à vis consumers?\nH ow can international cooperation\, namely through United Nations agencies and other international organizations\, help to further promote sustainabl e consumption?\n\n<\;p>\;Sustainability has become an important area o f discussion in the competition and consumer protection law and policy cir cles.&\;nbsp\;Competition\, consumer protection and sustainability are all intersecting.&\;nbsp\;Consumer empowerment and business efforts can significantly contribute to promoting sustainable consumption and product ion and to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development G oals. When empowered consumers value the importance of sustainable product s and make well-informed decisions\, businesses have an incentive become m ore sustainable.<\;/p>\;\n\n<\;h4>\;<\;b>\;Competition and sus tainability<\;/b>\;<\;/h4>\;\n\n<\;p>\;Competition&\;nbsp\; law&\;nbsp\;is\, in principle\,&\;nbsp\;aligned with sustainability goals.&\;nbsp\;However\, there may be tensions between the two in certa in circumstances. For instance\, it is costly to invest in sustainable pro ducts which may in turn lead to price increases and hamper competitiveness . A firm would not take the risk of incurring additional costs to become m ore sustainable if it is the only one to do so. To avoid such a risk\, fir ms may need to cooperate or collaborate on sustainability initiatives with their competitors\, which is in principle prohibited by competition law.& lt\;/p>\;\n\n<\;p>\;Competition authorities need to consider to what extent cooperation or coordination on sustainability can be permitted. Wi th that in mind\, the European Commission\, in&\;nbsp\;March 2022\, lau nched a public consultation on two draft revised Horizontal Block Exemptio ns (Research and Development\, and Specialization) and Horizontal Guidelin es which included a new chapter on the assessment of horizontal agreements pursuing sustainability objectives.<\;a data-linkindex="\;1"\; href="\;https://competition-policy.ec.europa.eu/public-consultations/2 022-hbers_en"\; name="\;x__ftnref1"\; title="\;\n\nView me eting on unctad.org\nhttps://unctad.org/meeting/ad-hoc-expert-meeting-comp etition-consumer-protection-and-sustainability DTSTAMP:20261023T113840Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR