E-Commerce and Product Liability: International Consumer Protection Framework & Policy

Consumer protection laws often attempt to protect the financial interests of consumers, provide them the freedom to make an educated decision, and grant them recourse in the event of a problem. Legislation can contain regulatory instruments that define a duty of disclosure, a complete ban on deceptive and aggressive behavior, a ban on unfair contract terms in specific types of contracts, and more. In an online setting, the same holds true, albeit legislation frequently needs to be revised to clarify coverage, as is explained in more depth in the following section. The majority of nations in the world have consumer protection laws in place, and many of them have taken measures to include internet transactions. To some extent, this has been achieved through the "regionalization" of consumer law and policy, with cooperation occurring between the EU, ASEAN, and APEC to varied degrees, or through collaborative endeavors by the BRICS countries. United Nations International Trade Law Commission (UNCITRAL) and UNCTAD, OECD, and ICPEN have all achieved some global success in international trade law enforcement (ICPEN).The image is completed by civil society organizations like Consumers International (CI) and consumer organizations worldwide. Consumer law has unavoidably evolved into a more international issue in a global economy, whether one that is digital or not. However, continued regulatory divergences and friction indicate that overall governance has not kept up with market trends.