Chan Hong Sang, full-time member of Macao Consumer Council Executive Committee represented Macao, participated in CI’s World Congress
Delegates of Macao Consumer Council attended the 20th Consumers International World Congress in Brazil and participated in meetings and seminars during the Congress. The 20th Consumers International World Congress took place in Brasilia, Brazil, from 18th to 21st November. Participants at the World Congress include President of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, and worldwide consumer organizations delegates. Chan Hong Sang, full-time member of Macao Consumer Council Executive Committee represented Macao and executed his voting rights. The theme of this World Congress is ‘Unlocking Consumer Power: A new vision for the global marketplace'. Representatives from Consumers International, consumer organizations of different countries and regions, specialists, and scholars participated in panel sessions and interactive discussions on topics such as chances and challenges faced by consumers in the fast-changing world, global consumer trend, international trade, and consumer rights in the digital age, etc.. The Council met with delegates of China Consumers Association and Hong Kong Consumer Council to discuss on collaboration, such as setting up a cross-strait network to protect consumers following the model of the European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Network). According to Dong Zhuli, Vice Secretariat of China Consumers Association, the law on e-commerce in China has entered the final stage and hopefully will be promulgated next year. Dong indicated that the relevant law could work as a support to the cross-strait platform. Delegates all supported the setting up of such platform and hoped to confirm such plan as soon as possible. The ECC-Network is an EU-wide network, the main aim of the ECC-Network is to create consumer confidence in the Internal Market when they make cross-border purchase. The ECC-Network provides comprehensive services to consumers, including the provision of suggestions and assistance in their complaints, as well as solving consumer disputes through Alternative Dispute Resolution. Consumers International World Congress is held every four or five years. New policies on global consumer protection are laid out in each congress and a new president, and executive members are elected. Bart Combée of the Netherland’s Consumentenbond was elected President at CT’s General Assembly this time. Consumers International was founded in 1960 and a non-profit organization with over 240 member organizations in over 120 countries and regions. Macao Consumer Council became a full member of Consumers International in 1997 and can exercise its right to vote on matters at the CI General Assembly and elect the CI President.