Antitrust Law Daily Wrap Up, CONFERENCES—FTC Workshop to Focus on Using Industry Codes of Conduct to Protect Consumers in Cross-Border Commerce, (Nov 13, 2012)

By E. Darius Sturmer, J.D.

The FTC announced the agenda for its November 29 forum on using enforceable industry codes of conduct to protect consumers in cross-border commerce. The forum aims to examine how government entities, businesses, consumer groups, and other organizations can develop and administer voluntary procedures that govern areas falling outside of traditional government oversight. These systems are becoming increasingly important with the expansion of global commerce, the FTC has noted.

The forum will open with introductory remarks by FTC Commissioner Edith Ramirez, followed by a panel discussion on the rise of cross-border codes of conduct. (Panel moderator: FTC Assistant Director for International Consumer Protection Stacy Feuer; panelists: Sungjoon Cho, Joseph N. Mariano, Robin Simpson, FTC Consumer Protection Bureau Director David C. Vladeck, and David Zaring.) Former FTC Chairman William E. Kovacic will speak on the antitrust implications of such codes.

The program also will feature panel discussions on two code-based systems, including one created earlier this year to give consumers in Asia-Pacific region more consistent privacy protections when their information moves between countries with different privacy rules. (Panel moderators: FTC Counsel for International Consumer Protection Markus Heyder and Peter Avery; panelists: Paula J. Bruening, Daniele Chatelois, Department of Commerce Associate Director Joshua Harris, Frances J. Henderson, Clifford Henry, Melissa Higuera Perez, Jonathan Kaufman, Thea Mei Lee, Gwenann Manseau, Saira Nayak, Scott Taylor, and Alan K. Yu.)

The subsequent panel will address how recent U.S. legislation on toy and food safety has incorporated elements of code-based systems, including third-party standards and independent conformity assessment. (Panel moderator Scott Cooper; panelists: Charlotte Christin of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Caroline Smith DeWaal, Alan P. Kaufman, Richard W. O’Brien of the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission, and Joseph A. Scimeca.)

A final panel will focus on best practices and metrics used to measure and compare code-based systems. (Panel moderator: Keith Fentonmiller of the FTC; panelists: Anne Meuwese, Sheila A. Millar, C. Lee Peeler, Robin Simpson, and Norma Tregurtha.)

The FTC is presenting the program in conjunction with the 2012 Biennial Meeting of the American Society of International Laws International Economic Law interest group. The forum, which is free and open to the public, will be held at the FTC’s satellite conference center at 601 New Jersey Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. Further information about the event can be found here.

News: Conferences ConsumerProtection FederalTradeCommissionNews