Global governance and its implications for consumers

Kamala Dawar discusses how issues of global governance effects the decision making processes in the international standard setting regime and the implications this has for consumers and consumer organisations world wide. This edition of Consumer Policy Review examines decision making processes in the international standard setting regime and the implications of this for both consumers and consumer advocacy. Where once economic policies and regulations were established primarily at the national level, food safety standards are now set by the Codex Alimentarius Commission1 based in Rome. While in Geneva, the boards of the International Organisations for Standardisation (ISO)2 and the International Electro-technical Commission (IEC)3 decide on international product standards and specifications.