Consumers International and OAS co-host dialogue on the future of product safety in Latin America

On 18 September 2017, Consumers International co-organized the first dialogue between civil society organisations and the Consumer Safety and Health Network (CSHN) of the Organisation of American States (OAS). The dialogue was held in Mendoza, Argentina.

The objective of this workshop was to encourage dialogue between consumer associations and the government agencies that are part of this network, to generate consensus and develop a proposal for future joint work on product safety.

The CSHN, created over eight years ago, aims to exchange information and experiences among government agencies on product safety. Its main tool is the Inter-American Rapid Alert System (SIAR), designed as a repository of product alerts that are marketed in the countries.

The workshop was opened by the Deputy Governor of the Province of Mendoza, Argentina, who emphasized the importance of safer products and the protection of the health and safety of consumers. There were talks from a variety of different stakeholders at the event, including representatives of government agencies from the Dominican Republic and Uruguay. There were also presentations from our members; IDEC, ODECU and Consumer Reports.

During the workshop, the OAS provided a detailed explanation of the objectives and functions of the CSHN and the SIAR. Three working groups were formed that discussed proposals on how consumer associations can collaborate with the CSHN and governmental agencies in the area of ​​product safety.

A consensus was reached on the need to strengthen the CSHN’s national and regional ties with civil society, to disseminate product alerts more widely and to promote the active participation of consumer associations in the work of the Organisation of American States.

Visit our partners page for more information on our partnership with the Organisation of American States.