European Parliament resolution on 'New developments in public procurement'
In this resolution the European Parliament supports Fair Trade Public Procurement and calls on the European Commission to do so too, by encouraging public authorities to use fair trade criteria in their public tenders and purchasing policies and by giving constructive guidelines on Fair Trade procumerent. European Parliament resolution of 18 May 2010 on 'New developments in public procurement' (2009/2175(INI) )
'A twelve-point EU action plan in support of the Millennium Development Goals'
21 April, the European Comission has adopted an action plan for EU action to speed up progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Therefore, the European Commission proposes to Member States a number of actions in support of MDGs. The action plan also sets out a possible EU position ahead of the UN Summit on the MDGs in September 2010.
This action plan includes a package of five EU policy areas that support the European efforts to attend the MDGs. Fair Trade is referred to in:
European Commission staff working document: "Policy Coherence for Development Work Programme 2010- 2013"
European Commission staff working document: "Financing for Development - Annual progress report 2010: Getting back on track to reach the EU 2015 target on ODA spending?"
Council Conclusions on Policy Coherence for Development,17 November 2009
The Council of the European Union issued conclusions on Policy Coherence for Development (PCD) on 17 November 2009 on its external relations meeting. European Member States identify Fair Trade as a key example to make trade policy more coherent with development policy.
Conclusion from the Consultation on Agricultural Product Quality
Consumers want food to be affordable and good value for money. But consumers and traders have many other demands on the value and quality of the products they buy, apart from price. Meeting these demands is the quality challenge faced by farmers. Instead of seeing these demands as a burden, the Commission is convinced that EU farmers have a real opportunity to turn them to their advantage – by delivering exactly what consumers want, clearly distinguishing their products in the marketplace, and gaining premiums in return.
Conclusions of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States Meeting within the Council on EU Strategy on Aid for Trade: Enhancing EU Support for trade-related needs in developing countries, October 2007 To promote the environmental, social and economic sustainability of Aid for Trade, the EU will: Explore possibilities for developing shared EU approaches to relevant sustainability claims systems, including fair trade, in consultation with stakeholders, in particular local ones and small producers. p.8 [ 13070/07 ]
Conclusions of the Council on Aid for Trade, May 2007 The Council agrees that enhancing the quality of EU Aid for Trade includes: "Promoting all sustainability dimensions of Aid for Trade including by supporting sustainable methods of production and voluntary standard initiatives, such as Fair Trade. p.5 [9555/07]
Communication from the Commission - Towards an EU Aid for Trade Strategy, April 2007 Poverty and Aid for Trade: "Voluntary initiatives giving consumers assurances relevant to sustainable development, such as Fair Trade, are important instruments with potential for reducing poverty and promoting socioeconomic development." p.6 [Com (2007) 163 final]
Petersberg Communication on European Development Policy, March 2007 The Communication was issued by the Commission and the ministers of the member states in Petersberg, Germany Trade and development: "Voluntary social and ecological initiatives, such as Fair Trade, can be an important instrument in sustainable development and poverty reduction." p.4 [Communication]
Report from the European parliament on the EU's Aid for Trade, March 2007 Suggestions, 3: "Recalls that Aid for Trade must improve market access for small and disadvantaged producers in developing countries; in this respect calls for 10 % of the Aid for Trade budget to be earmarked for Aid for Fair Trade." p.20 [A6-0088/2007]
The Africa-EU Strategic Partnership: A joint Africa-EU Strategy One of the priorities of the Africa-EU partnership will be to help Africa improve its productive capacities, move up the value-added scale and become less dependent on raw materials and simple processed products, which in the long term is the best way to avoid a deterioration of the terms of trade and participate in, and benefit from, the global economy. Africa and the EU will also, together with other international partners, work to promote fair trade. p.9 [Africa-EU Strategic Partnership]
EU Council Resolution on Renewed EU Sustainable Development Strategy, June 2006
Sustainable consumption and production: Member States should support information campaigns with retailers and other organisations to promote sustainable products inter alia products that stem from organic farming and fair trade as well as environmentally sound products. p.13
Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Ethical Trade and Consumer Assurance Schemes, October 2005 The explanatory opinion drawn by the EESC covers wide areas of ethical trade and consumer assurance schemes, both considered by the Committee as tools contributing to sustainable development and to the direct engagement of consumers in a response to globalisation. Fair Trade is mentioned in various parts of the opinion, regarded as a subset of ethical trade but also referred to with the definition commonly agreed by the Fair Trade movement (p. 17). [REX/196 - CESE 1257/2005]
Communication from the European Commission on Policy Coherence for Development, April 2005 Accelerating progress towards the Millennium Development Goals 3.6 Social dimension of globalisation,promotion of employment and decent work: "The EU will enhance its support for Fair Trade, as a tool for poverty reduction and sustainable development" p.14 [ COM (2005)134 final ]
New EU Action Plan on Agricultural Commodities, Dependence and Poverty and a specific action for cotton, May 2004
In complement to its efforts relating to the international trading system, the EU stands ready to assist African cotton producing countries directly in consolidating the competitiveness of their cotton sectors. With this objective, it wants to assist countries implement comprehensive development strategies or plans for their cotton producing regions. These could among other things include:
strengthening of cotton related institutions and policies that work in the interest of farmers; increased attention to risk strategies to cotton, through a focus on selfinsurance, use of risk markets and compensatory finance;
capitalising on chain integration opportunities or certain niche markets, such as organic/fair trade cotton or specialty textiles or garments;
enhancing capacities in the area of technological innovations and quality improvements. The EU will participate in the development of a universal cotton classification system.
The EU also wants to ensure that the potential of Economic Partnership Agreements for cotton sector development is fully exploited. p.15/ 16
Communication from the European Commission on Agricultural Commodity Chains, Dependence and Poverty - A proposal for an EU Action Plan, February 2004
7.2 Proposed EU actions: 7.2.1 Promoting Corpoorate Social Responsibility internationally "...The EU should furthermore take action to increase public awareness and transparency on existing fair, sustainable or ethical trade initiatives...This should enable consumers, companies and policy makers to take the right decisions. Also, although the Commission already sponsors some projects on public awareness of fair trade there may be scope for strengthening of this activity."
Communication from the Commission on Trade and Development:Assisting developing countries to benefit from Trade
"The EU also intends to continue work on fair trade and trade in environmentally friendly goods and organic products, particularly from developing countries as we committed to do in the plan of implementation in WSSD " p.21, September 2002
Communication from the Commission on Corporate Social Responsibility: A business contribution to Sustainable Development
"The Commission welcomes...the rationalisation of existing labels through initiatives such as the new common fair trade label launched by the Fair-trade Labelling Organisation (FLO) and will examine the need to adopt further measures to promote fair and ethical trade" p.15, July 2002
Cotonou Agreement: New Partnership Agreement between ACP-EU,
Article 23 g) Economic sector development: "Cooperation shall support sustainable policy and institutional reforms and the investments necessary for equitable access to economic activities and productive resources, particularly:...g. trade development, including the promotion of fair trade" Compendium to the Cotonou Agreement 64. "Cooperation shall provide support to both producer groups in developing countries and NGOs within the EU through budget headings and EDF resources. This support shall be used to finance the launching of new product lines, consumer awareness campaigns, educational activity and capacity building."
Public Policy Texts 
