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    Who we are

    2017 ICPEN Conference Berlin

    The International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN) is a membership organisation consisting of consumer protection law enforcement authorities from across the globe. ICPEN provides a forum for developing and maintaining regular contact between consumer protection agencies and focusing on consumer protection concerns. By encouraging cooperation between agencies ICPEN aims to enable its members to have a greater impact with their consumer laws and regulations

    History

    In 1991, at the initiative of Denmark's Consumer Ombudsman, plans emerged for an informal network of consumer authorities from various countries, involved with the enforcement of fair trading practices. The network’s purpose would be to find ways of co-operating on tackling consumer problems connected with cross-border transactions in both goods and services, and to help ensure exchanges of information among the participants.

    In 1992, at a meeting in London hosted by the then, United Kingdom Office of Fair Trading, participants agreed to a Memorandum on the Establishment and Operation of the ICPEN (the ICPEN MOU) which formally established the International Marketing Supervision Network.

    At a meeting held in Sydney in 2002, the name of the Network was changed to ICPEN to better reflect the work of the Network. The ICPEN MOU has also been amended a number of times since 1992.

    The most recent ICPEN MOU was agreed to in London in 2016, under the United Kingdom 2015/2016 presidency.

    Organisation

    The Network operates under a rotating presidency. On 1 July 2022 the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission, assumed the role of the 2022-2023 ICPEN Presidency. And then, on 1 July 2023, the presidency will transfer to Poland, under the stewardship of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection. ICPEN is a geographically diverse organisation and our mission is to protect consumers worldwide.                                    

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    The presidency is supported by an advisory group composed of the current, former and future Presidents and nominated representatives from within the membership seeking geographical representation and rotating participation of different member organisations.

    Presidencies past, present and future

    presidencies to date  
    2023 - 2024 Poland
    2022 - 2023 Australia
    2021 - 2022 Portugal
    2020 - 2021  Canada
    2019 - 2020 Colombia
    2018 - 2019 Zambia
    2017 - 2018 Türkiye
    2016 - 2017 Germany
    2015 - 2016 United Kingdom
    2014 - 2015 Sweden
    2013 - 2014 Panama
    2012 - 2013 Belgium
    2011 - 2012 Costa Rica
    2010 - 2011 Netherlands
    2009 - 2010 Australia
    2008 - 2009 France
    2007 - 2008 Chile
    2006 - 2007 Poland
    2005 - 2006 Republic of Korea
    2004 - 2005  United Kingdom
    2003 - 2004 Finland
    2002 - 2003 Australia
    2001 - 2002 Switzerland
    2000 - 2001 United States
    1999 - 2000 Norway
    1998 - 1999  Belgium
    1997 - 1998 Ireland
    1996 - 1997 Canada
    1995 - 1996 Austria
    1994 - 1995 Sweden
    1993 - 1994 France
    1992 - 1993 United Kingdom

    Participants

    The ICPEN comprises three types of participants: Members, Partners (marked with *) and Observers (marked with **). Click on a chosen country to be directed to its consumer protection authority.

    As at December 2022 ICPEN has member authorities representing over 70 countries and 4 partner organisations with membership pending. ICPEN has 6 observer authorities.

    Member organisations

      Country date of entry Status
      Angola 2015 Member
      Australia 1992 Member
      Austria 1992 Member
      Azerbaijan 2006 Member
      Barbados 2011 Member
      Belgium 1992 Member
      Botswana* 2021 Partner
      Bulgaria 2012 Member
      Canada 1992 Member
      Chile 2005 Member
      China 2006 Member
      Colombia 2013 Member
      COMESA** 2019 Observer
      Costa Rica 2010 Member
      Cyprus 2005 Member
      Czech Republic 1996 Member
      Denmark 1992 Member
      Dominican Republic 2014 Member
      Egypt 2010 Member
      El Salvador 2010 Member
      Estonia 2002 Member
      Eswatini 2019 Member
      European Commission**   Observer
      Fiji* 2022 Partner
      Finland 1992 Member
      France 1992 Member
      Gambia, The 2017 Member
      Germany 1992 Member
      Global Privacy Enforcement Network** 2017 Observer
      Greece 1993 Member
      Hungary 1992 Member
      Iberoamerican Forum for Consumer Protection Agencies (FIAGC)**   Observer
      India* 2019 Partner
      Ireland 1992 Member
      Israel 2013 Member
      Italy 1992 Member
      Japan 1992 Member
      Kenya 2016 Member
      Rep. of Korea 1996 Member
      Kosovo 2016 Member
      Latvia 2002 Member
      Lithuania 2003 Member
      Luxembourg 1993 Member
      Malawi 2017 Member
      Malta 1996 Member
      Mexico 1994 Member
      Mongolia 2012 Member
      Morocco 2019 Member
      Netherlands 1992 Member
      New Zealand 1992 Member
      Nigeria 2013 Member
      Norway 1992 Member
      OECD**   Observer
      Panama 2011 Member
      Papua New Guinea 2012 Member
      Peru 2015 Member
      Philippines 2014 Member
      Poland 1996 Member
      Portugal 1992 Member
      Qatar 2017 Member
      Saudi Arabia 2016 Member
      Seychelles 2013 Member
      Singapore* 2021 Partner
      Slovakia 1996 Member
      South Africa 2019 Member
      Spain 1992 Member
      Sri Lanka 2017 Member
      Suriname 2015 Member
      Sweden 1992 Member
      Switzerland 1992 Member
      Türkiye 2010 Member
      United Arab Emirates 2016 Member
      UNCTAD**   Observer
      United Kingdom 1992 Member
      United States of America 1992 Member
      Vietnam 2013 Member
      Zambia 2014 Member
      Zimbabwe* 2023 Partner

                                           

                                          ICPEN President 2022-2023

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