EU and US sign agreement to increase product safety cooperation
The United States (US) and the European Union (EU) have recently signed an information sharing agreement designed to enhance cooperation involving product safety issues in the two regions. The signing of the agreement follows consumer product safety cooperation being highlighted as an important element of the Roadmap for US–EU Regulatory Cooperation.
The cooperation agreement will help consumer protection authorities in the US and EU to implement better product safety policies. The agreement will allow for the exchange of information on product recalls, emerging health and safety issues and standardisation activities.
The agreement, made between the US Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Directorate-General Health and Consumer Protection of the European Commission, is intended to create a framework for voluntary information exchange and is not intended to create binding obligations under international law.
International Internet Sweep 2005—scams, spam and scams by spam
On February 21—22 the ACCC led 80 consumer protection agencies from 25 countries in the seventh annual International Internet Sweep.
The sweep forms part of the ACCC's on-going work as a member of the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN) and this year's focus was on uncovering scams that use spam and the internet to entice victims.
A snapshot of 'spam of the day' was taken on Sweep Day, using both existing agency accounts as well as specially set up accounts. The most prevalent types of spam identified by ACCC sweepers included emails that promoted adult pharmaceuticals, software and computer products, business proposals (often referred to as Nigerian scams) and general pharmaceutical products.
The ACCC also examined over 2000 websites promoting various products including SMS services, music downloads and 'too good to be true' products such as get rich quick schemes, work at home schemes, body enhancing products and miracle cures.
Participating agencies, including the ACCC, are now acting on results in a number of ways including letters to traders, more detailed investigations and educational measures for both consumers and small business. In particular, the main message accompanying the sweep is that when is comes to spam, the recipient should never reply or follow the links.
