Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Consumer Protection Law and Policy, 8th session (Opening plenary)

Statement by Pedro Manuel Moreno, Deputy Secretary-General of UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

Dear Cynthia Zapata, Director of Consumer Protection of the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Trade of Costa Rica and Chair of this IGE,

Dear Yvonne Stein, Deputy Director at the Consumer Policy Division in the Ministry of Finance of Sweden and Vice-Chair of the IGE,

Distinguished delegates,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am pleased to welcome you all to the eighth session of the UN Trade and Development Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Consumer Protection Law and Policy. Your presence here today underscores our collective commitment to advancing consumer protection in an ever-evolving global marketplace.

This year holds special significance as we celebrate our 60^th anniversary. For six decades, UN Trade and Development has been at the forefront of promoting equitable and inclusive trade and development. Consumer protection has made an important contribution to that quest.

Consumers are the driving force of the global economy. Their choices and behaviours influence market trends, drive innovation, and impact the economic well-being of nations.

Economic policy rests on the assumption that consumers are rational. They will take the right decisions, if allowed and protected through effective consumer policy.

Consumer rights create trust in markets and support demand in the long term, benefiting producers and investors.

UN Trade and Development is mandated to serve as focal point on consumer protection issues in the United Nations. It is the only UN organization that has a well-established programme of work devoted to improving competition and consumer policies across the world.

This reinforces our trade and development mandate with a focus on the demand side of the economy and gives us the means to better assist member States in their development strategies.

The United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection provide a valuable blueprint for such efforts. They are the only global instrument on the issue. They call for measures to ensure product safety, prevent unfair business practices, protect online consumers, protect consumers of financial services, promote sustainable consumption, and provide redress mechanisms for consumers. By adopting and implementing these guidelines, countries can create a safer and fairer marketplace for all.

Consumer protection must evolve with the evolving challenges and opportunities of our time.

For example, with ever more interconnected markets, consumers can access a diverse array of goods and services from around the world. But globalization has brought new challenges, such as dangerous goods traded across borders, dark commercial patterns, or a lack of effective dispute resolution and redress.

In today's digital age, technology is reshaping the consumer landscape. AI, e-commerce, digital payments, and online platforms have transformed the way we shop, communicate, and access services. While these innovations offer convenience and choice, they are also often disruptive and pose challenges such as data privacy, cybersecurity, digital fraud, and digital divides.

International cooperation is essential in tackling cross-border challenges.

And environmental degradation is increasingly a threat to consumer welfare. It calls for sustainable consumption and thus using resources efficiently, reducing waste, and making choices that minimize environmental impact.

Consumers play a pivotal role in this regard, and their preferences can drive businesses towards more sustainable practices.

This year, UN Trade and Development and UN Environment launched a project to reveal the complementarities between consumer and environmental protection. It started with the interface and possible cross-fertilization between consumer protection tools and some multilateral environmental agreements.

Businesses, too, have a critical role to play in fostering sustainable consumption. Corporate social responsibility should be more than a buzzword. It should be a core principle guiding business operations.

Companies that prioritize consumer protection, sustainability and transparency not only gain consumer trust but also contribute to the broader goal of sustainable development.

Finally, it is essential to recognize that not all consumers are equally empowered. Vulnerable and disadvantaged groups and marginalized communities, especially in developing countries, often face more barriers to accessing goods, services, and information.

The bottom line is that we all have a role to play to bring about the change we need. Through working together, promoting cooperation, diplomacy and collective decision-making in international affairs we can ensure that consumers are at the heart of global prosperity.

As Secretary-General Grynspan said in the recent UNCTAD 60^th anniversary celebrations, today’s world is increasingly multipolar. Multipolarity is not a choice, but multilateralism and cooperation are.

Thank you.