Workshop Information


Inter-Regional Expert Group Meeting
Sao-Paulo, Brazil
28-30 January 1998

Objective of the meeting

In line with the request of the United Nations Economic and Social Council at its Substantive session of 1997, the UN Department for Economic and Social Affairs, in co-operation with the State Government of Sao Paulo, and the Federative Republic of Brazil, organised and hosted an Inter-Regional Expert Group Meeting on the extension of the UN Guidelines for Consumer Protection to include aspects of sustainable consumption patterns. The aim of the meeting was to formulate concrete recommendations for the extension of the Guidelines related to more sustainable consumption and production patterns.

The meeting was an expert contribution to the intergovernmental process on the extension of the Guidelines. Intergovernmental discussions on the issue were held at the Ad-Hoc Inter-Sessional Working Group of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (February-March 1998), the sixth session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (April 1998), and are scheduled for the substantive session of the Economic and Social Council in July 1998.

The United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection

The idea of the UN Guidelines for Consumer Protection originated in the late 1970s, when the Economic and Social Council recognized that there were strong linkages between consumer protection and social and economic development. The UN General Assembly adopted the Guidelines by consensus in 1985, after extensive discussions and negotiations. In 1995, 10 years later, and on the basis of regional meetings assessing the use and implementation of the Guidelines, the Economic and Social Council requested the Secretary-General to elaborate guidelines in the area of sustainable consumption patterns and to examine the possible extension of the Guidelines into other areas. It was generally felt that the issues of environmental protection and sustainable development should be integrated into consumer protection measures and reflected in the Guidelines.

The Guidelines represent an international framework for Governments, particularly those of developing countries, to use in developing and strengthening consumer protection policies and legislation. The Guidelines are also intended to assist the international community in developing consumer protection policies and to promote further international co-operation in this area.

The UN Guidelines for Consumer Protection continue to be a very valuable tool in national policy development, and in the design and implementation of consumer protection legislation. It is crucial to see the Guidelines as a dynamic process, adapting to changing conditions. The extension of the Guidelines to include sustainable consumption provides an important opportunity both to update consumer protection policies to include environmental protection and sustainable development, and to strengthen the linkage between consumer interests and sustainable consumption, thereby stimulating national policy making to promote more sustainable consumption.

Character of the Meeting

A background paper was prepared by the CSD Secretariat as the basis for discussions at the Expert Meeting. The paper included contributions and suggested key issues from Governments, consumer organisations, business and industry, independent experts, non-governmental organisations, and international organisations.

The output of the expert meeting gives policy makers an overview of the key elements of "sustainable consumption" that should be considered for inclusion in the extension of the Guidelines.