Sorin Mierlea , President of InfoCons Consumer Protection , attends the ICPHSO 2026 International Symposium in Brussels
Sorin Mierlea , President of InfoCons Consumer Protection , attends the ICPHSO 2026 International Symposium in Brussels
Sorin Mierlea, President of InfoCons, is attending the ICPHSO 2026 International Symposium on 9–10 September 2026, at the Charlemagne Building in Brussels, Belgium, under the theme “Advancing a Global Baseline for Product Safety.”
Organised by the International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization – ICPHSO, in partnership with the European Commission, the symposium takes place in conjunction with International Product Safety Week 2026, held from 7 to 10 September.
The events bring together an international community of regulators, industry representatives, consumer protection organisations, standards bodies, testing laboratories, researchers and legal experts.
The participation of the President of InfoCons helps represent consumers’ interests in discussions on risk prevention, market surveillance and improving access to product safety information.
A shared global baseline for product safety
The symposium’s theme, “Advancing a Global Baseline for Product Safety,” focuses on the cooperation needed to develop shared product safety benchmarks in a market where manufacturing, distribution and sales extend across national borders.
The programme addresses the role of international principles and regulators, alongside business responsibilities, new technologies and consumer involvement. Plenary sessions and parallel workshops provide perspectives on current and emerging challenges, ranging from detecting unsafe products online to risk assessment and recall effectiveness.
The symposium complements the “Product Safety in Motion” theme of International Product Safety Week 2026, highlighting the need to adapt consumer protection measures to technological and commercial change.
9 September programme – welcome and opening sessions
According to the schedule published by the organisers, registration begins at 13:00, followed by “ICPHSO Welcome and Opening” at 14:00.
The opening features Chris Harvey, President of ICPHSO and session moderator, and Rod Freeman, 2026 International Symposium Planning Chair and Treasurer of ICPHSO. At 14:10, the programme includes “European Commission Welcome: Isabelle Pérignon, Director.”
At 14:20, the programme continues with “Global Regulator Session 1,” followed at 15:05 by “Moving Forward with the UN Principles,” addressing further progress on the United Nations principles in this field.
Following “Networking Break & Exhibits” at 15:20, the agenda continues at 15:35 with “Plenary 1: 18 Trillion Reasons Why the UN Principles for Consumer Product Safety Apply to Your Product: Safe & Accessible Products for All Persons.” This session connects the UN Principles with product safety and accessibility for all persons.
At 16:15, the programme features “Plenary 2: Stopping the Burn but Continuing to Heat Things Up.” The first day concludes with “End of Day Remarks” at 16:55, followed by the “Reception” at 17:00.
10 September programme – regulators, safety processes and liability
The second day begins at 08:00 with “Breakfast & Registration,” followed by “Opening Remarks” at 09:00.
At 09:10, the programme continues with “Global Regulator Session 2.” At 09:55, “Rapid 1: You Think Your Products Are Safe… But Are Your Processes Ready to Prove It?” addresses the ability of internal processes to demonstrate product safety.
At 10:15, “Plenary 3: From Compliance to Claims: Product Safety, Enforcement and Liability Across the EU and US” focuses on the relationship between compliance, enforcement and product liability in the European Union and the United States. “Networking Break & Exhibits” follows at 10:55.
Parallel sessions on risk assessment, enforcement and e-commerce
At 11:15, participants can choose between three simultaneous sessions:
- “Breakout 1: Social Media/Gaming, Behavioral Patterns, and Risk Assessment: The Manufacturer’s Obligations Under the New EU Product Liability Directive”;
- “Breakout 2: Advancing the Baseline: What Does Good Enforcement Really Look Like?”;
- “Breakout 3: New Era for e-Commerce Safety in Europe-Tackling the Retailer’s Challenges.”
These sessions offer different perspectives on assessing risks associated with product use, manufacturers’ obligations, effective enforcement and the challenges retailers face online.
Artificial intelligence and detecting unsafe products online
At 12:00, “Plenary 4: Using AI Tools to Detect Unsafe Products Online: Emerging Approaches for Market Surveillance and Recall Effectiveness” examines the use of artificial intelligence tools to identify unsafe products sold online.
The topic connects technological developments with market surveillance activities and recall effectiveness. The programme continues at 12:40 with “Lunch, Networking & Exhibits.”
Product safety in global supply chains
A further series of parallel sessions begins at 13:35:
- “Breakout 4: Velocity, Volume, Variation: The New Geometry of Product Safety in an Age of Global Scale”;
- “Breakout 5: Online Marketplaces: Enabling e-Commerce Sellers to Comply with EPR”;
- “Breakout 6: Fixing Product Safety Before It Becomes a Compliance Problem: The Voice of Suppliers — Where Execution Actually Happens.”
These sessions address the scale and speed of product flows, support for online sellers in meeting extended producer responsibility – EPR requirements, and the role of suppliers in preventing product safety problems.
At 14:20, the programme features “Rapid 2: Microplastics as a Consumer Product Hazard,” followed at 14:40 by “Plenary 5: Principles Without People Don’t Work.” “Networking Break & Exhibits” is scheduled for 15:20.
From global principles to practical implementation
The final series of parallel sessions begins at 15:35 and includes:
- “Breakout 7: Can We Achieve a Global Baseline for Product Safety?”;
- “Breakout 8: Promoting a Global Standard for Product Safety – From the Global Gap to Effective Implementation: Towards a Standard of Good Practices and an Ombudsman Model for Product Safety”;
- “Breakout 9: Regulatory Uncertainty? No Excuse: Proactive Product Safety Strategies for a Borderless Global Marketplace.”
The programme continues at 16:20 with “Mentorship Program Reflections, Takeaways and Certificate Presentation,” followed at 16:30 by “Consumers at the Center,” placing consumers at the heart of the discussion.
The symposium concludes with “End of Day Remarks and Closing” at 16:50.
All times are local to Brussels. The agenda is provisional and may be updated by the organisers.
What is ICPHSO?
ICPHSO stands for the International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization.
Founded in 1993 in the United States, ICPHSO is a global nonprofit organisation dedicated to consumer product safety. It provides a neutral forum for dialogue and the exchange of experience among professionals involved in preventing risks and protecting consumers.
The ICPHSO community brings together government authorities and regulators, manufacturers, importers, distributors, retailers, testing and certification laboratories, consumer protection organisations, lawyers, consultants and academics.
Through symposia, meetings and educational activities, the organisation facilitates the exchange of information on emerging risks, standards, technologies, market surveillance and recalls of dangerous products. Its role is to support collaboration and learning among participants, bringing together experience from different jurisdictions and sectors.
The InfoCons App – access to information about products subject to Alerts
In this context, the InfoCons European Consumer Protection App, available in 33 languages, provides consumers with a practical information tool.
Through the Alerts section, users can check whether products they intend to purchase or already own are or have been subject to safety Alerts. The available information helps them identify the products concerned and understand the reported risks.
Access to clear, readily available information supports consumers’ active involvement in risk prevention, complementing the cooperation and surveillance efforts discussed during the symposium.
