JAKARTA, 9–12 February 2026 — The ASEAN Committee on Consumer Protection (ACCP) convened a series of workshops to strengthen regional cooperation on product safety and consumer protection, with support from the United Kingdom’s Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS). The four-day programme focuses on improving evidence-based policymaking, recall effectiveness, and exploring regional data sharing related to product safety.
The workshop was facilitated by Will Creswell, Deputy CEO of OPSS, together with OPSS experts Christopher Hunter, Ellie Hall, and Monicka Ciejek, who shared practical experience and technical expertise on product safety enforcement and compliance with participants from all 11 ASEAN Member States (AMS) consumer protection authorities.
As part of the programme, the 2nd Validation Workshop for the Feasibility Study of the ASEAN Product Safety Portal was held to review the feasibility study and explore the next regional initiatives to be pursued as a follow-up action. The ASEAN Product Safety Portal is envisaged to enable the collection and sharing of data on product-related injuries among AMS regulators, to improve policymaking and support timely corrective actions.
A capacity building workshop on product recall systems, followed by a Brainstorming Workshop for the ASEAN Regional Guidelines for Recalling Unsafe/Defective Products, was also held to enhance the understanding of product safety and consumer protection officials on product recall frameworks, including compulsory and voluntary recalls, other major types of corrective actions to be considered, and good practices for removing unsafe products from the market.
At the Brainstorming Workshop for the ASEAN Regional Guidelines for Recalling Unsafe/Defective Products, AMS exchanged views on the product recall framework in each jurisdiction and discussed the scope of the Guidelines. The Guidelines will provide a reference for effective product recall framework and procedures, while encouraging a harmonised regulatory framework at the national level and promoting collaboration among the AMS. A discussion session on the outcomes of the ASEAN Regional Self-Assessment of Consumer Protection exercise was also held to deliberate on how the results can be used to prioritise reforms and strengthen national consumer protection systems.
These activities reflect ASEAN’s strong commitment to improving product safety in the region and mark a significant milestone in the implementation of the ASEAN Strategic Plan on Consumer Protection (ASAPCP) 2030, in particular Supporting Initiative 1.2.2, 3.3.1, and 3.3.3, as well as the technical assistance under the ASEAN–UK Economic Integration Programme (EIP) 2024–2028, with OPSS leading the Regulatory Reform Pillar.
Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the EIP fosters collaboration and knowledge exchange, reinforcing ASEAN’s commitment to safeguarding consumers and ensuring the integrity of products across the region. The UK continues to support ASEAN’s economic integration through technical assistance, capacity building, and knowledge sharing on regulatory reform, financial services and open trade.
