India to chair UNCTAD consumer protection experts’ meet in Geneva

India will chair the ninth session of the UNCTAD Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Consumer Protection in Geneva, with Nidhi Khare leading discussions on global consumer protection, product safety, cross-border disputes and sustainable consumption

New Delhi: India will chair the ninth session of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts (IGE) on Consumer Protection Law and Policy, organised by the United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD) at the Palais des Nations in Geneva on Monday, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs.

The two-day session will bring together member states, international organisations, consumer protection authorities, academia and other stakeholders to deliberate on emerging issues in consumer protection law and policy.

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The IGE, constituted under the United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection, is the principal intergovernmental platform for cooperation and dialogue on consumer protection law and policy.

India has been actively contributing to international discussions on consumer protection. During the Ninth United Nations Conference on Competition and Consumer Protection, held in Geneva in July 2025, the Department of Consumer Affairs shared India’s experience in cross-border consumer dispute resolution, highlighting the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) and its pre-litigation convergence model.

India will be represented by Secretary, Consumer Affairs, Nidhi Khare, who has been invited by the UNCTAD to chair the ninth session. As Chairperson, she will preside over the three-day deliberations and guide discussions among member states on key global consumer protection priorities.

Key highlights of the session include the launch of the United Nations Principles for Consumer Product Safety, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2025, and a high-level fireside chat on “Why the Principles Matter,” in which India will participate and discussions on implementation of the United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection (UNGCP) by member states.

Besides, deliberations will be held on consumer information and education, sustainable consumption, enforcement of consumer protection law in global markets, and cross-border consumer protection. A review of recent legal and institutional developments, capacity-building initiatives and adoption of the report and provisional agenda for the next session will also be drawn up, the statement added.