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Consumers
International (CI) (link) supports links and represents
consumer organizations all over the world. As of autumn
2000 it has a membership of 263 organizations (Indian
organizations list) in 119 countries. Most members
are independent, non-governmental organizations.
CI’s Head Office is based in London, as is
its Office for Developed and Transition Economics
(ODTE). Regional Offices are located in Kuala Lumpur
(Malaysia), Santiago (Chile) and Harare (Zimbabwe).
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Using
UN Guidelines as a starting point, CI has developed
Model Consumer Protection Laws in Latin America, the
South Pacific and Africa. These have been used as
the basis for national laws in many countries, promoted
by national consumer groups and CI’s regional
offices.
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CI
has been very successful in getting governments to
include consumer education in the school curriculum.
(This focus area needs to be urgently addressed –
can u help us make it possible by joining us or a
similar group) |
IOCU
(now CI) heavily influenced the UN and its agencies,
from the early 1960s. In 1985, the UN Guidelines for
Consumer Protection were officially adopted by the
UN General Assembly. These Guidelines are the basic
documents for Consumer Protection World wide. |
In
the early 1980s, IOCU succeeded in persuading the
UN General Assembly to mandate the creation of a UN
List of Products banned, withdrawn or severely restricted
by Governments (link to this list). The list was used
by citizen organizations to remove hazardous products
from store shelves in Korea, Ecuador, Brazil, Mexico
and elsewhere. |
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| WCRD is celebrated
on March 15 every year since 1983. It focuses on the
eight basic consumer rights (link). CI helps to ensure
that these rights are given high priority by all governments
at the international level. |
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| CI has been a major
force in promoting food labeling that is useful to consumers
and has been able to block proposals that do not serve
the need for information of consumers. (This focus area
(food labeling) needs to be urgently addressed –
can u help us make it possible by joining us or a similar
group) |
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From
1997 to 2000 CI successfully campaigned to include
a chapter on consumer policy in the new convention
on trade agreement negotiated between the European
Union and 71 African, Caribbean and Pacific countries
(EU/ACP). This was the first time consumer policy
was included in such a far reaching trade agreement. |
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By
fielding experts at international standards meetings
for 20 years, CI has had a major influence on the
safety of cars. Major manufacturers now compete to
market cars on the basis of their safety advantages
over the competition – a result of international
consumer pressure! |
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CI
has been at the forefront in consumer activism in
the new area of E-commerce, and has contributed actively
to the development of OECD guidelines for consumer
protection in E-commerce |
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CI
was one of the principal partners responsible for
setting up the Health Action International networks
(link to local organizations also), which campaign
on drug safety, availability and prices. CI was also
partner in setting up IBFAN, (link) a network that
campaigns against the promotion of breast-milk substitutes. |
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CI
was a partner in setting up and co-coordinating the
Pesticides Action Network (link to pan and toxics
link) and has been actively representing consumer
interest in UNEP (link) which has issued several codes
and conventions on protection of the environment.
In 1999, the UN Guidelines on Consumer Protection
(link) were expanded with new guidelines on sustainable
consumption, partly as a result of CI’s efforts. |
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HEAD OFFICE
24 High bury Crescent, London N5 1RX, United Kingdom.
Tel: +44 20 7226 6663
Fax: +44 20 7354 0607
Email: consint@consint.org
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OFFICE
FOR DEVELOPED AND TRANSITION ECONOMIES (ODTE)
24 High bury Crescent, London N5 1RX,
United Kingdom.
Tel : +44 20 7226 6663
Fax : +44 20 7354 0607
Email : odte@consint.org
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REGIONAL
OFFICE FOR LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN (ROLAC)
Las Hortensias 2371, Providencia, Casilla 9635, Santiago,
Chile
Tel : +562 335 1695
Fax : +562 231 0773
Email : consint@consint.cl
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REGIONAL
OFFICE FOR AFRICA (ROAF)
Private Bag A6215, Avondale, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Tel: +263 4 302 283
Fax: +263 4 303 092
Email: roaf@harare.iafrica.com
Website: www.consumersinternational.org |
CI
ROAP in Kuala Lumpur
consint@roap.org
CI ROAP address :
Lot 5-1, Wisma WIM, 7 Jalan Abang Haji
Openg,
Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tel: +603 772 61 599
Fax: +603 772 68 599
Email: consint@ciroap.org
Website: www.consumersinternational.org/roap/
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