International Consumer Protection

Globalization is one of the central consumer protection developments of the 21st century, commanding the attention of businesses, consumers, law enforcers, and policymakers around the world. The FTC pursues the development of an international market-based consumer protection model, which focuses on protecting consumers from significant harm while maximizing economic benefit and consumer choice. The FTC is working toward its goals by participating in an international cooperation network to combat cross-border fraud and by promoting effective market-oriented consumer protection and privacy policies.

Upcoming Event

March 16-17, 2009
FTC Conference: Securing Personal Data in the Global Economy

FTC International Consumer Protection Documents

• U.S. Federal Trade Commission Staff Response to the U.K. Department for Business Enterprise & Regulatory Law Reform's Consumer Law Review: Call for Evidence (April 2008)
• U.S. Federal Trade Commission Staff Comments to the European Commission on its Draft RFID Recommendation (April 2008)
• FTC Federal Court Cases with Cross-Border Components (updated December 16, 2008)
• The US SAFE WEB ACT: Protecting Consumers from Spam, Spyware and Fraud, A Legislative Report to Congress

Key International Documents

• OECD Guidelines for Consumer Protection in the Context of Electronic Commerce
• OECD Guidelines for the Security of Information Systems and Networks
• OECD Guidelines for Protecting Consumers from Fraudulent and Deceptive Practices Across Borders
• London Action Plan on International Spam Enforcement
• OECD Recommendation on Cross-Border Co-operation in the Enforcement of Laws against Spam

Advocacy

• Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras, Comments on Proposed Consumer Trading and Standards Authority
• Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras, Protecting Consumers in a High-Tech World , Internet Foundation Lunch, Brussels, April 6, 2005.
• Lydia Parnes, Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection, Remarks for Safe Harbor Workshop, December 7, 2005
  
  

Links

• International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN)
• econsumer.gov
• OECD Committee on Consumer Policy
• OECD Working Party on Information Security and Privacy
• APEC Electronic Commerce Steering Group
• APEC Telecommunications & Information Working Group
• United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Comments on the Draft Manual on Consumer Protection

Contact Information

• For matters concerning international consumer protection issues, please contact the Office of International Affairs at IntlConsumerProtection@ftc.gov