BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:unctad.org BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6af4507dd01ef DTSTART:20230420T100000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20230420T130000Z LOCATION:\, SUMMARY:Introducing EnfTech: A technological approach to consumer law enfor cement CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:EnfTech is a broad term for the use of technological innovation s by enforcement agencies to help deliver enforcement activities. This cou ld include market surveillance\, such as scanning for misleading pricing o r fake advertising\; investigative activity which uses machine learning to interrogate company documentation\; preventative measures such as reviewi ng consumer contracts for unfair clauses before they reach the market. In the future it may have the potential to directly execute or enable an enfo rcement action such as a warning\, takedown or sanction.\n\nIt is an emerg ing field of activity\, and this event will be an opportunity to learn abo ut its development and how it may impact consumer protection agencies and enforcement authorities across the world.\n\nThis online event\, co-hosted by the EnfTech Project of the University of Reading and UNCTAD\, will bri ng together consumer agencies currently exploring or using the tech tools and strategies that make up this new approach. It will be helpful for anyo ne working in consumer protection wanting to understand the current landsc ape and how they might take the first steps in developing technological ap proaches to enforcement.\n\nWhy EnfTech?\n\nThe United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection recognize consumers’ legitimate needs for a leve l of protection when using e-commerce that is not less than that afforded in other forms of commerce. For this\, Governments should work towards ens uring that consumer protection enforcement agencies have the necessary hum an and financial resources to promote effective compliance and to obtain o r facilitate redress for consumers in appropriate cases. Harnessing techno logy within and between enforcement agencies will be vital for protecting consumers active in today’s global\, digitalised markets.\n\nDesigning E nfTech in a way that works across borders will be vital\, and requires imp roved international cooperation. At the moment\, 60% of countries respondi ng to UNCTAD’s World Consumer Protection Map report no experience in cro ss-border cooperation. Only 63% of cooperation agreements among consumer p rotection authorities include provisions on enforcement.\n\nTo address thi s\, since 2017\, UNCTAD’s informal working group on consumer protection in electronic commerce exchanges information and shares of experiences amo ng its member States. Current work focuses on misleading and unfair practi ces\, consumer education and business guidance\, and cross-border enforcem ent cooperation. These are all areas where EnfTech is well placed to respo nd.\n\nThe event will be held in English only\n<\;p>\;EnfTech is a bro ad term for the use of technological innovations by enforcement agencies t o help deliver enforcement activities. This could include market surveilla nce\, such as scanning for misleading pricing or fake advertising\; invest igative activity which uses machine learning to interrogate company docume ntation\; preventative measures such as reviewing consumer contracts for u nfair clauses before they reach the market. In the future it may have the potential to directly execute or enable an enforcement action such as a wa rning\, takedown or sanction.<\;/p>\;\n\n<\;p>\;It is an emerging field of activity\, and this event will be an opportunity to learn about i ts development and how it may impact consumer protection agencies and enfo rcement authorities across the world.<\;/p>\;\n\n<\;p>\;This onlin e event\, co-hosted by the EnfTech Project of the University of Reading an d UNCTAD\, will bring together consumer agencies currently exploring or us ing the tech tools and strategies that make up this new approach. It will be helpful for anyone working in consumer protection wanting to understand the current landscape and how they might take the first steps in developi ng technological approaches to enforcement.<\;/p>\;\n\n<\;h4>\;Why EnfTech?<\;/h4>\;\n\n<\;p>\;The United Nations Guidelines for Con sumer Protection recognize consumers’ legitimate needs for a level of pr otection when using e-commerce that is not less than that afforded in othe r forms of commerce. For this\, Governments should work towards ensuring t hat consumer protection enforcement agencies have the necessary human and financial resources to promote effective compliance and to obtain or facil itate redress for consumers in appropriate cases. Harnessing technology wi thin and between enforcement agencies will be vital for protecting consume rs active in today’s global\, digitalised markets.<\;/p>\;\n\n<\;p >\;Designing EnfTech in a way that works across borders will be vital\, and requires improved international cooperation. At the moment\, 60% of co untries responding to UNCTAD’s World Consumer Protection Map report no e xperience in cross-border cooperation. Only 63% of cooperation agreements among consumer protection authorities include provisions on enforcement.&l t\;/p>\;\n\n<\;p>\;To address this\, since 2017\, UNCTAD’s informa l working group on consumer protection in electronic commerce exchanges in formation and shares of experiences among its member States. Current work focuses on misleading and unfair practices\, consumer education and busine ss guidance\, and cross-border enforcement cooperation. These are all area s where EnfTech is well placed to respond.<\;/p>\;\n\n<\;p>\;The e vent will be held in English only<\;/p>\;\n\n\nView meeting on unctad. org\nhttps://unctad.org/meeting/introducing-enftech-technological-approach -consumer-law-enforcement DTSTAMP:20261111T112445Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR