In today’s fast-changing and interconnected world, ensuring that products are safe for consumers everywhere is more important than ever. Yet, 44% of UNCTAD Member States still lack adequate legal frameworks to ensure product safety. Today, there is real momentum for improvement. Last July, the 9th UN Conference on Competition and Consumer Protection, held at UNCTAD, adopted the draft United Nations Principles for Consumer Product Safety, now before the UN General Assembly. 

To help in their implementation, the European Commission and UNCTAD have joined forces to produce the first UNCTAD Handbook on Consumer Product Safety, a practical guide designed to assist policymakers and regulators strengthen national frameworks and align with international best practices. 

This workshop will bring together experts, policymakers, and stakeholders to:

• Shape the upcoming UN Handbook on Consumer Product Safety, offering insights and suggestions before its publication.
•  Discuss implementation of the UN Principles for Consumer Product Safety, currently under consideration by the UN General Assembly.
• Explore how effective product safety frameworks and international cooperation can boost consumer confidence, support sustainable development, and enhance fair global trade. 

The session will also support the work of UNCTAD’s informal working group on consumer product Safety, fostering stronger international collaboration and capacity-building—especially among developing and least developed countries.

This session will bring together the finalists of the 2025 EU Product Safety Award to explore their experience enhancing consumer protection and product safety. In a panel discussion, they will showcase their initiatives and research and share lessons learnt from their journey.

The session will thus offer insights on the many faces of product safety, from developing innovative products, addressing safety concerns for new consumer trends such as e-commerce and sustainable consumption to facilitating monitoring and surveillance, as well as helping improve business product safety practices.