16 July 2015 - The Philippines expressed support to national legislative measures, which will help promote international best practices for consumer protection, at the United Nations (UN) Conference on Trade and Development to review the UN Set on Competition Policy.
Achieving better consumer protection is one of the major highlights of the United Nations Guidelines discussed at the 7th UN Conference to Review All Aspects of the Set of Multilaterally-Agreed Equitable Principles and Rules for the Control of Restrictive Business Practices in Geneva from July 06 to 10.
The Philippine delegation, headed by Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Cecilia Rebong and DOJ Office for Competition (OFC) Assistant Secretary Geronimo Sy, called on the member states to look at Consumer Protection Law as the way to protect, improve and safeguard the welfare of the consuming public.
Indeed, UNCTAD's work on competition and consumer protection has shown that this can play a direct and important role in promoting economic growth and reducing poverty in developing countries.
In his statement, Assistant Secretary Sy underscored that the Philippine delegation is aware of the efforts of UNCTAD to reconcile various formulations on the UN Set of Guidelines for Consumer Protection. “We have continuously, for the past years, supported all these different forms and also submitted our inputs together with our Department of Trade and Industry,” he said.
He also stressed that in view of the recent developments in technology and mass communications and different modes of business and infrastructure, the revision of the UN Guidelines for Consumer Protection will provide a current framework of guidelines to secure the legitimate needs of consumers.
At the closing session, the meeting adopted the Draft Resolution of the Conference, which includes, among others, the convening of yearly Ad Hoc Expert Group meetings on Consumer Protection until the establishment of an Intergovernmental Group of Experts (IGE) on Consumer Protection Law and Policy, which will provide an annual forum and modalities for multilateral consultations, discussion and exchange of views between member states related to the Guidelines for Consumer Protection. END