Globalization and Consumer Protection: Tackling Unfair Trade Practices in India and the European Union

Globalization has greatly impacted on the consumer markets worldwide, requiring strong consumer protection structures to restrain unfair trade practices. This paper brings out the need for an interdependence of globalization and consumer protection through an analysis of India as well as the European Union (EU). The paper outlines the legal frameworks of the regions and the evolution of these legal systems. It discusses the challenges posed by globalization of markets with regard to the legal structures of countries. It also deals with the effectiveness of India's Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and the EU's harmonization of legislative frameworks by the use of directives such as the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive and General Data Protection Regulation. It discusses the available enforcement mechanisms in the respective regions such as India's Consumer Courts and the European Commission and national enforcement agencies of the EU. The paper concludes with the future challenges, including digital markets and the use of technology, and further suggests the prospects of harmonization of consumer protection laws between India and the EU.