EU Commissioner Hedegaard to deliver keynote address at consumer world congress

With under a month to go until the event, Commissioner Hedegaard joins an illustrious list of internationally renowned speakers who will be addressing the world’s consumer movement at the Hong Kong Conference and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). 

Other leading speakers include Alan Jope, Chairman, Unilever Greater China; Sue Rutledge, Director, Consumer Protection, World Bank; Anwar Fazal, civil society leader and former CI President; James Guest, President, Consumers Union of the United States; and Gerd Leonhard, CEO, The Futures Agency.  

The CI World Congress, which will be officially opened by Donald Tsang, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, will be attended by leaders of consumer organisations from over 100 countries, together with representatives from industry, governments, inter-governmental bodies, and civil society. It is being co-hosted by CI member organisation, the Hong Kong Consumer Council.

Commissioner Hedegaard will address the role of consumers in the green economy, a key issue area in light of the overall Congress theme of ‘Empowering Tomorrow’s Consumers’. Other consumer issues that will feature in sessions across the four-day event include: financial services, corporate social responsibility, food safety, and consumer rights in the digital age.   

Consumers International Director General, Joost Martens said: 

"We are delighted to have Commissioner Hedegaard address the CI World Congress on an issue that is vital to the future of consumption patterns across the globe. Our event is about looking at ways in which consumer groups can help tackle the major challenges facing the world, and give them the tools to empower individual consumers to make a positive difference.  Alongside the green economy and issues of sustainable consumption, we have an impressive array of world experts exploring issues of global importance to consumers; such as fair financial services, corporate responsibility and access to knowledge in the digital world." 

Hong Kong Consumer Council Chairman, Professor Anthony Cheung said: 

"Hong Kong is strategically positioned to hold this World Congress in Asia, which has witnessed some of the fastest growing economies as well as the rampant inflation affecting large populations of consumers. We are honoured to have the Congress held in Hong Kong and to have the opportunity to co-host this single most important world assembly of consumer leaders and advocates at a crucial juncture of time. Fresh ideas and new action are urgently called for to tackle the many pressing issues facing consumers worldwide."

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Notes to Editors:

• Consumers International (CI) is the only independent global campaigning voice for consumers. With over 220 member organisations in 115 countries, we are building a powerful international consumer movement to help protect and empower consumers everywhere.  
• The Hong Kong Consumer Council (HKCC) is an independent statutory body committing itself as the trusted voice for consumer betterment towards safe and sustainable consumption in a fair and just market. Joined Consumers International (CI) in 1976, HKCC became CI Council Member in 1978 and has been the Executive Member since 1994.  
• Consumers International’s 19th World Congress takes place at the Hong Kong Conference and Exhibition Centre, 3-6 May. Day 1 is dedicated to fringe event with Day 2 & 3 taken up with the official programme. Day 4 is the CI General Assembly. All details are at www.consumersinternational.org/congress
• The CI World Congress occurs every four to five years. It includes the General Assembly where CI’s President, Executive and Council are voted in.
• The last Congress took place in Sydney in 2007. The CI World Congress was previously held in Hong Kong in 1991. The co-hosts for the event are CI’s Hong Kong member, The Consumer Council.
• Full list of confirmed chairs and speakers:

1. Alan Jope, Chairman, Unilever in China
2. Alejandro Calvillo, Executive Director, El Poder del Consumidor (Mexico)
3. Anna Glayzer, Programme Officer (Food safety and Nutrition), Consumers International
4. Anthony Cheung, Chairman, Hong Kong Consumer Council
5. Anwar Fazal, civil-society leader and former CI President
6. Bart Combée, President, Consumentenbond
7. Connie Hedegaard, European Commissioner for Climate Action, EU Commission
8. David Hammerstein, intellectual property advisor, Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue, and former Spanish MEP
9. Diana Tsui, CSR Director, KPMG
10. Gerd Billen, Executive Director, The Federation of German Consumer Organisations (vzbv)
11. Gerd Leonhard, The Futures Agency
12. Guido Adriaenssens, Chief Executive Officer, International Consumer Research and Testing (ICRT)
13. H C Yang, Vice President and Secretary General, China Consumers' Association 
14. Hassan Qaqaya, Chief, Capacity Building and Technical Assistance Section, Competition Law and Policy and Consumer Protection Section, UNCTAD
15. Helio Mattar, Founder, Akatu Institute for Conscious Consumption (Brazil)
16. Indrani Thuraisingham, Head of CI Office for Asia Pacific and the Middle East, Consumers International
17. Jaiok Kim, President, Consumers Korea
18. James Guest, CEO, Consumers Union of United States
19. Jami Solli, specialist on financial services in consumer protection law
20. Jan Gustav Strandenaes, Senior Adviser, The Northern Alliance for Sustainability (ANPED)
21. Jean Halloran, Consumers Union of United States
22. Jens Henriksson, International Officer, Swedish Consumers' Association
23. Jeremy Malcolm, Access to Knowledge Programme Coordinator, Consumers International
24. Jonathon Hanks, University of Cape Town
25. Jørgen Schlundt, Deputy Director, National Food Institute, Denmark
26. Justin Macmullan, Head of Campaigns, Consumers International
27. Lisa Gunn, Executive Director, Brazilian Institute for Consumer Defence (IDEC) 
28. Luke Upchurch, Head of Communications, Consumers International
29. Niall Dunne, former Director, Saatchi & Saatchi Sustainability
30. Norma McCormick, Chair, ISO Committee on Consumer Policy (COPOLCO)
31. Peter Kell, Chair, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)
32. Premila Kumar, Chief Executive, Consumer Council of Fiji
33. Rasmus Kjeldahl, Executive Director, Danish Consumer Council
34. Ratna Devi, Deputy Secretary General, Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (FOMCA)
35. Rehan Saiyed, Storm Corporate Design Limited
36. Richard Henry Kimera, Chief Executive, Consent, Uganda
37. Robert Welford, Chairman, CSR Asia
38. Robin Simpson, Senior Policy Advisor, Consumers International
39. Samuel Ochieng, President, CIN Kenya and Consumers International
40. Stefan Larenas R, President, Organisation of Consumers and Users of Chile (ODECU)
41. Sue Rutledge, Director of Consumer Protection, World Bank
42. Sunil Abraham, Executive Director, Centre for Internet and Society, India
43. Thami Bolani, Chairman, National Consumer Forum (South Africa)