Adding A2K Principles to the UN Guidelines for Consumer Protection

The United Nations (UN) Guidelines for Consumer Protection, passed in 1985, were intended as a set of standards for good practices in consumer protection, particularly for developing countries. The UN Guidelines cover eight areas of consumer protection or rights: the right to satisfaction of basic needs, safety, choice, information, consumer education, redressal, representation and a healthy environment. The UN Guidelines are soft or nonbinding law instruments, but they have been influential, The Guidelines have, with adaptations, been adopted into law in many developing countries.

The emergence and spread of digital technologies has resulted in new opportunities and challenges for consumers. There is need to amend the UN Guidelines in light of these developments. This project aims to table amendments and recommendations for the UN Guidelines for Consumer Protection that introduce access to knowledge (A2K) principles, and that promote justice, freedom and economic development.