Future of Indonesian Archipelago Consumer Protection Law in the Era of ASEAN Economic Community

Abstract

Today, consumer protection issue is not only a national issue, but it also has become an international issue. Indonesia has had the consumer protection law since 1999 which is expected to protect the interests of consumers in an integrative and comprehensive manner and can be applied effectively in the community. After being applicable for more than 17 years, a number of weaknesses were found that the results were less optimal in consumer protection in Indonesia.On the other hand, since 2007, the ASEAN Committee on Consumer Protection (ACCP) has been established, which aims to notify and exchange information, to resolve cross-border consumer issues, and to increase the capacity of ASEAN communities. Finally, the ASEAN countries established a partnership through the integration of economic sectors in a single market in Southeast Asia, called the ASEAN Economic Community. The advances in information and communication technologies are increasingly pushing for the new techniques of trade transactions, which directly or indirectly affect consumers. Consumer protection aspect also becomes one of the parts included in the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025 (AEC Blueprint 2025). The paper was a conceptual study that used a qualitative analysis of the future of consumer protection law in Indonesia in the era of the ASEAN Economic Community. The analysis results show that the Indonesian Consumer Protection Law still have some weaknesses in the aspects of substance, structure, and legal culture. UUPK (Consumer Protection Law) as the substance of Indonesian consumer protection law requires revisions considering the AEC Blueprint 2025.