The Change
The UNCTAD Manual on Consumer Protection 2017 edition is the first comprehensive international reference in this field, aiming to support developing countries and economies in transition in their choice of policies and providing practical tools to assist policy makers in enhancing capacities while implementing the recently revised United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection. UNCTAD, as the focal point for consumer protection issues within the United Nations system, is fully committed to promoting the guidelines and encouraging interested Member States to create awareness of the various ways in which they can promote consumer protection in the provision of public and private goods and services in collaboration with businesses and civil society. Consumers need to be empowered for them to play their role as agents for change in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. This can only happen when appropriate laws, policies and institutions are in place and all stakeholders, particularly businesses and consumer groups, participate in upholding consumer protection in the marketplace.
Several factors have contributed to this development: First, the reduction of trade barriers and new technologies have facilitated the purchase of goods abroad allowing consumers in the globalized economy to increase their engagement in cross-border transactions On the one hand, this has benefited consumers, who now have more choice between products and services that they can easily compare online. On the other hand, because of different selling practices and legal barriers across countries, this has created challenges in enforcing cross-border consumer rights, apart from the inevitable information limitations when buying goods or services from distant sellers In such a context, national law can only provide a limited solution, requiring the development of international consumer protection provisions.
Given the challenges that consumers face at the cross-border level, an important question is whether the existing Guidelines provide an effective and practical solution in this wider context. While the previous sections of this article have focused on the impact of the Guidelines, this section discusses several limitations and areas of consumer law where there is a strong case for future development.
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