are based on USOCA's two benchmark studies, Consumer Complaint Handling In America, the last of which was done in the mid-80's. As some of the systems and much of the data cited are somewhat out of date, USOCA plans an update using current technology and data.

POLICY COORDINATION

International

USOCA has a lead role, both as representative and coordinator, in U.S. government participation in treaty and non-treaty international organizations concerned with consumer protection, consumer information and education, and product, service cost and quality issues. In 1994, the Director headed the U.S. delegations to the biennial meetings of the Committee on Consumer Policy of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (CCP/OECD), a treaty organization which includes most of the world's industrialized nations. USOCA is currently working on the development of two priority CCP initiatives: a study of existing national codes of conduct for direct marketers, to serve as a basis for an OECD model code for such companies doing business across national borders (with the Department of Commerce); and a CCP network for joint notification among the member nations of product safety recalls and warnings (with the Consumer Product Safety Commission).

In response to a State Department request, USOCA has organized a task force of representatives from six Federal Departments and two regulatory agencies to develop the U.S. response to a request from the United Nations Secretary-General to all member nations for a report on progress during the ten years since the U.N. Guidelines for Consumer Protection were promulgated.

At the request of the American National Standards Institute, USOCA headed the U.S. delegation to the 1994 meeting of the International Standards Organization's Committee on Consumer Policy (ISO/COPOLCO). Because ISO voluntary standards are used increasingly by both established industrial powers and emerging nations to expand their markets, COPOLCO's recommendations to ISO have substantive effect on the marketplace. Its resolution on the need for standards for environmental protection in product manufacture and labeling, for example, started ISO on what has become a comprehensive global environmental standards development initiative. The 1994 meeting resulted in adoption, at the U.S. delegation's suggestion, of a resolution that ISO begin examining the feasibility of developing standards for consumer protection in electronic commerce, particularly in such areas as control of personal data and fraud prevention.

USOCA regularly meets with representatives of foreign governments and consumer groups. Some of these visits are arranged through the U.S. Information Agency or the State Department, others are the result of USOCA involvement with international organizations, such as OECD. There is great interest on the part of other nations in adapting the U.S. model for consumer protection, complaint handling, and information dissemination to meet their citizens' needs.

Through the USIA's Voice of America, USOCA's Acting Director addressed a group of 300 Latin American consumer advocates gathered in Lima, Peru who are seeking to replicate our private sector consumer organizations and USOCA.

Standards

With the increasing Federal emphasis on voluntary rather than regulatory standards where voluntary standards meet the need, USOCA has expanded its involvement in the voluntary standards community to help assure consideration of consumer needs. USOCA staff serve on the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Board of Directors, the ANSI Consumer Interest Council, and in a leadership role on the Consumer Products Committee of the American Society for Testing and Materials, primarily concerned with voluntary product safety standards.

National Information Infrastructure

The developing information superhighway offers both potential benefits and pitfalls for consumers. While surveys show an increasing number of consumers own and use computers, these same surveys show that consumers aren't familiar with the development of the National Information Infrastructure, which will link computers, databases and networks. USOCA's Director serves as a consumer voice on the Federal Information Infrastructure Task Force as it works to develop the government's role in the information superhighway, both in consumer protection and assurance of access to underserved consumers. In addition, surveys reveal increasing consumer concern about the impact of technologies on their privacy as too often citizens feel they are required to give up personal information in order to receive benefits. This is a growing concern which USOCA is pledged to monitor.

Privacy

USOCA has played a lead role on privacy issues in the marketplace. For example, USOCA has highlighted consumer concerns about the use of personal information by the financial services, telecommunications, and direct marketing industries. This has led to a host of voluntary and some regulatory changes in the personal information practices of these industries. The Office continues to work with various industry and consumer groups to increase consumer understanding about how personal information is

used in the marketplace, as well as how consumers can protect their privacy and control the use of personal information.

USOCA is an active participant in the Administration's Working Group on Privacy, which is assisting the Information Infrastructure Task Force in its work on the information superhighway.

The Working Group has drafted a set of privacy principles to be used by NII participants. A revised draft of these principles was published recently in the Federal Register for public comment.

Electronic Commerce

In the next few years, more and more transactions will be completed using some form of technology. For example, consumers can now buy groceries with debit cards which immediately remove funds from their accounts. A number of Federal and state agencies are experimenting with benefits debit cards. In the next year or two, more consumers will be able to order goods and services via the Internet or some other "on-line" service. USOCA believes it crucial to develop consumer safeguards in these and related areas. During the next few months USOCA will be seeking the perspectives of legislators, government officials, the private sector and consumer groups on such questions as: How will the electronic marketplace affect consumers? How will they be able to protect themselves from fraudulent use of personal information, including their Social Security numbers, bank and credit records? How should government regulate the electronic marketplace?

Special activities USOCA plans for the remainder of this fiscal year and/or for FY 1996 include convening meetings of consumer, special constituency, industry, and government representatives to discuss the impact on individual consumers of the President's initiatives in welfare reform, information infrastructure development, and fair credit practices. The Director will work closely with other members of the White House policy staff on these initiatives to help bring detailed knowledge of these initiatives. In addition, the U.S. Office of Consumer Affairs will continue to provide leadership in the areas of privacy protection and prevention of fraud.

USOCA is testing an 800 hotline for national information and referral purposes. If successful and depending upon available resources, it will be put into place permanently.