The United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection recognize consumers’ right to access non-hazardous products, as well as the right to promote just, equitable and sustainable economic and social development and environmental protection.
In today’s globalized and digitalized marketplace, ensuring consumer product safety is an increasingly complex challenge. The rapid rise of cross-border e-commerce, the expansion of informal markets, and the shift toward sustainable consumption have created new layers of risk and regulatory difficulty. The latest UNCTAD's report entitled Emerging trends and challenges in consumer product safety, illustrates how countries across regions are grappling with these new dynamics.
In parallel, the promotion of sustainable consumption has emerged as both a challenge and an opportunity. Unsafe consumer products not only threaten human health but frequently contribute to environmental degradation. The intersection of safety and sustainability is increasingly recognized as essential to achieve equitable and green consumer markets.
UNCTAD, as the UN system’s focal point on consumer protection, is at the forefront of this global effort. Through its recommendations, working groups, and technical assistance programs, UNCTAD helps countries—particularly developing economies—strengthen their legal frameworks, build institutional capacities, and foster international cooperation in consumer protection.
This webinar is organized in the framework of the UNCTAD Informal Working Group on Consumer Product Safety.
Objective:
This webinar aims to foster dialogue and share best practices among policymakers, enforcers, and businesses to advance sustainability and consumer product safety. It seeks to leverage the United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection and other international instruments, as a framework to address and advance the importance of creating safe sustainable products.
Key focus areas:
- Explore the intersection of product safety and environmental sustainability, highlighting how unsafe products can harm both consumers and the planet.
- Promote sustainable consumption and production by identifying regulatory strategies that ensure consumer products are safe, compliant, and environmentally responsible.
- Discuss emerging threats to consumer protection in digital and informal markets, including the sale of counterfeit and non-compliant goods.
- Highlight innovative policy and legal frameworks that integrate sustainability into consumer product safety regimes, particularly in developing and transitioning economies.
- Strengthen international cooperation and knowledge exchange, with a focus on building regulatory capacity and harmonizing standards that advance both safety and sustainability.
Target audience:
- Government officials and policymakers
- Consumer protection authorities and regulators
- International organizations on consumer law and policy
- Civil society organizations and consumer advocacy groups
- Private sector representatives engaged in the creation of safe sustainable products
Expected Outcomes:
- Understand Experiences: listen to experiences of consumer protection authorities in developing and advancing safe sustainable consumption practices.
- Enhanced Collaboration: strengthened partnerships among consumer product safety authorities, international organizations, and other actors to ensure the development of safe and sustainable products.
Speakers:
- Marie Gerardy, Legal and Policy Officer, Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers, European Commission
- Jisook Yang, International Specialist, Korea Consumer Agency, Republic of Korea
