The United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection recognize consumers' right of access to non-hazardous products and their legitimate need to be protected from hazards to their health and safety. In today’s globalized world, where products are sold across borders, the safety of one consumer hinges on the safety of all.
However, UN Trade and Development’s World Consumer Protection Map shows that only 74 countries report having a consumer product safety law, evidencing an urgent need for clear guidance on how to develop effective legal and institutional frameworks to protect the health and safety of consumers.
Since 2019, UNCTAD’s informal working group on consumer product safety has been enhancing consumer product safety at both regional and national levels, while promoting international collaboration to protect consumers from safety hazards. The current mandate of the working group is to, among other initiatives, pursue consultations leading to a resolution on general consumer product safety.
The workshop is the first open discussion on the topic. It aims to collect ideas on how to fashion international cooperation for product safety to be a reality for all consumer across the world, learn participant’s views on the necessary international institutional arrangements to raise to member States’ expectations, and discuss the role that UNCTAD should play.
The result of the discussions we will host today will feed into UNCTAD’s upcoming Ad Hoc Expert Meeting on Consumer Product Safety of 4 November 2024 in Geneva, which will serve as a platform for member States to continue consultations.
This event is organized within the framework of UN Trade and Development informal Working Group on Consumer Product Safety, and at the European Commission’s International Product Safety Week 2024.
Speakers:
- Ms. Pinuccia Contino, Deputy Director for Consumers and Head of Product Safety and Rapid Alert System Unit, European Commission
- Ms. Teresa Moreira, Head of Competition and Consumer Policies Branch, UN Trade and Development
- Ms. Thezi Mabuza, Acting Commissioner, National Consumer Commission, South Africa
- Ms. Katia Peñaloza, Director of the National Consumer Authority of Peru
- Ms. Fernando Blanco Muiño, Deputy Secretary for Consumer Defence, Argentina
- Ms. Martyna Derszniak-Noirjean, Director of International Cooperation Office, Office of Competition and Consumer Protection, Poland
- Ms. Wimonrat Wim Teriyapirom, Director of International Cooperation, Office of the Consumer Protection Board, Thailand
- Ms. Marie Gerardy, Legal and policy officer DG JUST, European Commission
- Mr. Arnau Izaguerri Vila, Legal Officer, Competition and Consumer Policies Branch Division on International Trade and Commodities, UN Trade and Development
