Publications & Statements

2025

Joint statement – Omnibus proposal will create costly confusion and lower protection for people and the planet, January 2025

Joint letter – Ursula von der Leyen: Protect people, nature, and democracy in EU regulations, January 2025

Report on the implementation of the EU Unfair Trading Practices Directive beyond the EU – Ecuador, January 2025

Report on the implementation of the EU Unfair Trading Practices Directive beyond the EU – Ecuador (Full report), January 2025

Report on the implementation of the EU Unfair Trading Practices Directive beyond the EU – Rwanda, January 2025

2024

Joint position paper on the evaluation of the Unfair Trading Practices Directive in business-to-business relationships in the agricultural and food supply chain, December 2024

From cascading contractual obligations to collaborating on due diligence: Our feedback on European Model Contract Clauses (EMCs), December 2024

The FTAO applauds the European Commission’s proposal to improve the cross-border dimension of the UTP Directive but regrets lack of attention to complaints involving non-EU countries, December 2024

Multi-stakeholder statement – Smart implementation of EU sustainability reporting standards: make complying with rules easy, December 2024

Sustainable Agriculture Starts with Farmers: Policies for fair remuneration of farmers around the world, December 2024

The FTAO welcomes the European Commission’s efforts to strengthening the position of farmers in the agri-food supply chain and calls on co-legislators to build on the highest existing standards to deliver, December 2024

The FTAO expresses its deep concern about the EU-Mercosur partnership agreement and its consequences for people and the planet, December 2024

Joint statement: No more toxic trade deals between the EU and Latin American countries, November 2024

Statement: FTAO calls on the European Commission and the Council to strongly oppose amendments to the EUDR and work towards a compromise based on the original legislative text, November 2024 

FTAO calls for inclusion of social aspects in revised Textile Labelling Regulation, November 2024

Beyond mirrors – Recommendations for the EU to raise sustainability standards through inclusive, co-designed and co-implemented mechanisms, November 2024

CSO Statement: The EU Commission must provide guarantees on climate, nature and public health, ensuring the protection of people,  November 2024

What can the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive do for a just and fair textile sector?, October 2024

Textile Coalition Priorities for 2024-2029 Legislature: Policy recommendations for green and social ambition in EU textiles policies, October 2024

FTAO Statement on EUDR delay: The European Commission’s recent proposal to delay the application of the EU Deforestation Regulation must not be subject to further amendments by co-legislators, October 2024

Cocoa Coalition Statement on EUDR delay: Companies and NGOs oppose reopening the substance of the EU Deforestation Regulation, October 2024

Toxic Double Standards: How Europe sells products deemed too dangerous for Europeans to the rest of the world, September 2024

OPEN LETTER to EU Decision-makers on the EU contribution to the COP29 and the advent of a Global Green Deal, July 2024

Meaningful Stakeholder Engagement with Smallholder Farmers in Due Diligence Processes of Companies, July 2024

Avoiding Negative Impacts of the new EU Organic Regulation: A just transition for Fair Trade organic producers to access the European Market, June 2024

Supporting the implementation of the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive in global supply chains involving smallholders and their communities, May 2024

New regulations for zero deforestation cocoa, April 2024

The CSDDD provides a historical opportunity for European farmers, March 2024

 

2022

Fair Trade Movement Press Release on the publication of the Draft Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence

 

2021

FTAO and Fairtrade International report: Public Policies on Fair Trade, December 2021

Leveraging the Unfair Trading Practices Directive to benefit the Garment Sector, September 2021

 

2020

Getting the most out of public money in support of Europe’s recovery Joint statement on the European Council Conclusions on public procurement of 25 November 2020

Joint report: Circle Economy, European Environmental Bureau and the FTAO: Avoiding Blind Spots: Promoting Circular & Fair Business Models, December 2020

FTAO, Concord Europe and Cooperatives Europe report: Mind Our Business: Amplify the transformative power of sustainable and inclusive business models through EU external action, December 2020

Joint Statement: Build Back Fairer, September 2020

Joint NGO discussion paper: Key Elements for an Agreement Between the EU and Cocoa-Producing Countries, to Ensure Sustainability in the Cocoa Sector, September 2020

FTAO position paper: EU Competition Law and Cooperation Agreements for Sustainability, June 2020

FTAO and University of Greenwich Report: Making human rights due diligence frameworks work for small farmers and workers, June 2020

Open letter to Commissioner Reynders: Announcement on corporate governance legislative initiatives in 2021, June 2020

Civil Society European Strategy for Sustainable Textiles, April 2020 

Joint Fair Trade movement statement to G-20 leaders: Covid-19 Pandemic, April 2020

Joint Statement: ISEAL, the Rainforest Alliance, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Fairtrade International and the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO): The EU, Sustainable Supply Chains and Voluntary Standards Systems 

 

2019

FTAO Report – From local to EU level: Scaling Up Fair Trade in Europe, March 2019

FTAO Report: EU Competition Law and Sustainability – Addressing the Broken Links, February 2019

Fairtrade Foundation Report – Craving a Change in Chocolate, February 2019

WFTO Report – Gender Equity and Women’s Rights in the workplace, March 2019

WFTO Report – Business models that Empower Women, March 2019

FTAO and FERN Report – Towards sustainable cocoa supply chains: Regulatory options for the EU, June 2019

FTAO Blog on the 1st anniversary of the International Fair Trade Charter: Sustainable Production and Consumption Policies: Fair Enough?, September 2019


 

2018

The International Fair Trade Charter, September 2018 (Available in English, French, Spanish, German, Dutch, Portuguese and Polish)


 

2017

Trade Justice, A key component of building smallholder farmers’ climate resilience- Policy Statement of the Global Fair Trade Movement to COP 24


 

2016

FTAO report on Power in the West African cotton sector, March 2016

Competition Law and Sustainability in the Netherlands, FTAO, June 2016

FTAO toolkit – Localising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through Fair Trade, October 2016


 

2015

FTAO position paper on Fair Trade movement’s position on sustainable supply chains initiatives, April 2015

FTAO position paper on an innovative EU approach in support of Fair Trade practices in the new EU Trade Investment Strategy, July 2015

FTAO Statement – The New Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Fair Trade – Our Preliminary Analysis, September 2015

BASIC Report Banana value chains in Europe and the consequences of Unfair Trading Practices, October 2015

BASIC EU policy briefing on Unfair Trading Practices in Food Supply Chains Make Fruit Fair, November 2015


 

2014

Who’s got the power? Tackling imbalances in agricultural supply chains – Abstract (English, German, SpanishPolish)

Who’s got the power? Tackling imbalances in agricultural supply chains – Full Report (English, French, German)

(Commissioned by FTAO, PFCE (la Plate-Forme pour le Commerce Équitable), Traidcraft, Fairtrade Deutschland. In partnership with WFTO and Fairtrade International)

FTAO EU Policy Briefing: What the EU should do against unfair trading practices

A video explaining the report is also available here.


 

2013

FTAO Position Paper on Post-2015 Development Agenda Fair Trade Movement’s position, April 2013

FTAO Position Paper on EU Green Paper on Unfair Trading Practices (UTP) in Retail Supply Chains, April 2013

FTAO Position Paper on EU Sustainable Food strategy, Fair Trade movement contribution, December 2013


2012

FTAO Briefing Note to the Members of the EP on the Sugar reform in CAP post 2013 and impacts on marginalised producers and workers in ACP/LDC countries, 16 April 2012

FTAO Submission to the EC on Post-2015 Consultations, 14 September 2012

FTAO Submission to the Local Authorities in Development Issue Paper Consultation, 15 November 2012


 

2011

FTAO submission to the EC Green Paper on Development Policy, 17 January 2011

FTAO briefing note to the Members of the EP on the new EU Trade and Development Strategy, October 2011

FTAO submission to the EC EU Public Procurement Reciprocity Initiative consultation, 1 August 2011