Competition and consumer officials from around the world will meet in Sydney next month to develop a network to bring home the benefits of competition to the world's consumers.
"A global marketplace requires global action to ensure that it is as safe to shop on the Internet as it is in the local shopping mall," Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Acting Chairman, Mr Allan Asher, said today.
"Without such confidence, the Internet will wither and vast opportunities for small companies to compete equally, and globally, with large businesses will vanish.
"As government, industry and consumers begin to venture into global commerce there must be effective protection - without unnecessary barriers.
"This meeting of the International Society of Consumer and Competition Officials is an attempt to ensure that legal frameworks are established only when it's absolutely crucial."
ISCCO was established at the 1997 Consumer International World Congress in Chile. It aims to encourage cooperative international approaches to solving competition and consumer problems via a network of competition/consumer officials world-wide.
"The establishment of such a network is crucial if these officials are to respond effectively to the changing global marketplace," Mr Asher, said.
The inaugural ISCCO Conference will be held at the Sydney Hilton on 12 November immediately after the Sydney Global Commerce Conference ends.
Speakers include Mr Tony van der Haegen, European Commission; Mr Michael Donohue, US Federal Trade Commission; Mr John Bridgeman and Ms Caroline Banks, UK Office of Fair Trading: Mr Joseph Hoffman, Ontario Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations; Mr Keith Manch, NZ Ministry of Consumer Affairs; and officials from Australian consumer affairs agencies and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
"The conference will provide an outstanding opportunity for competition and consumer officials from around the world to develop networks, exchange ideas and experience, and to actively participate in the development of ISCCO," Mr Asher said.
The conference program, and information on ISCCO, is available on the ISCCO website at iscco.org whilst further information on the group and the conference are available from the ACCC's Richard Chadwick on (02) 6243 1068 or by e-mail at richard.chadwick@accc.gov.au
For further information about this media release: Mr Richard Chadwick, (02) 6243 1068.
