📋 Tender Overview
Digitization and artificial intelligence have greatly changed both consumer shopping and business operations in recent years. At the first ministerial meeting of the OECD Committee on Consumer Policy, countries discussed consumer policy in a changed context.
On October 8 and 9, 2024, the delegation of the Republic of Slovenia attended the first ministerial meeting of the OECD Committee on Consumer Policy Consumers at the Center of Digital and Green at the headquarters of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris transition to the topic of consumer protection and empowerment in the digital and green transition.
Digitization and artificial intelligence have greatly changed both consumer shopping and business operations. Advanced technology and services represent great benefits for consumers, but they also present a great challenge to protect consumers from questionable sales practices such as dark patterns and misleading information that can significantly influence consumer decisions. The global economy presents the challenge of how to continue to ensure the safety of products and the health of consumers.
In several sections, the delegations discussed the following topics:
consumer protection and empowerment in the digital transition,
addressing new risks to the safety of consumer products in a rapidly evolving global market,
consumer protection and empowerment in the green transition,
cross-border cooperation for consumer protection and empowerment and
promoting development and involvement in consumer policy.
In the context of the green transition, the task of consumer protection policy is essential, as more and more consumers are concerned about climate change and are aware of the importance of protecting the environment, which affects their purchasing decisions. They want information and confidence in the market so that their decisions are sustainable. Everyone should have access to sustainable products regardless of their income. "Sustainable consumption must be the joint responsibility of producers and consumers, supported by legislative and awareness-raising measures. Consumers must be empowered so that they can contribute to sustainable consumption and the green transition through their sustainable purchasing decisions," said the head of the delegation, Ambassador of the Permanent Representation to the OECD Paris mag. Peter Ješovnik.
Although countries differ, consumer protection issues are global in nature and require global responses. We need harmonized rules for a safe, predictable and trustworthy digital and sustainable business environment in which the fundamental rights of consumers are effectively protected, consumer safety is assumed and fair and open competition between companies is ensured. International cooperation of countries and international organizations, consumers and companies is necessary. For effective protection and security, consumer protection policy must be harmonized with others: with climate policy, environmental protection, regulatory policy, child protection, digitization, data protection, competition protection, the development of artificial intelligence and international trade, to name a few.
At the closing session, the ministers adopted a declaration on the protection and empowerment of consumers in the digital and green transition.
