The EU's Directive on Unfair Trading Practices (UTPs) was an important step toward addressing power imbalances in the agri-food supply chain. However, farmers and small-scale suppliers, both within the EU and in countries supplying the EU market, continue to face structural inequalities that prevent them from earning a fair and sustainable income.

Low and unstable farm incomes, fear of retaliation, weak enforcement mechanisms and the absence of a prohibition on buying below the cost of sustainable production continue to undermine fairness in global supply chains.

For the Fair Trade Movement, the revision of the UTP Directive represents a critical opportunity to close these gaps and ensure that trade works for farmers and workers. The revised Directive must:

• Ban buying (and reselling) below the cost of sustainable production;
• Strengthen enforcement and counter the “fear factor”;
• Ensure real deterrence against abusive practices;
• Protect all suppliers regardless of size;
• Cover both EU and non-EU suppliers effectively;
• Support farmers in earning a decent and sustainable income.

Together with over 30 organisations - including farmer organisations, Fair Trade actors, civil society organisations, sustainability advocates and responsible businesses - the Fair Trade Advocacy Office presents these joint recommendations to EU policymakers to help build fairer supply chains.

A stronger UTP Directive is essential to building fairer, more sustainable agri-food systems, where farmers receive fair value for their work in Europe and globally.

Read the joint position paper here.

Signatories

• Agroecology in Action
• Arbeitsgemeinschaft bäuerliche Landwirtschaft e.V.
• ARGE Weltläden Österreich
• Banana Link
• COLEAD
• Commerce Équitable France
• Elvang Denmark A/S
• Equo Garantito
• Essen mit Zukunft
• Esperanza Café
• Ethiquable Benelux
• European Institute for Animal Law & Policy
• European Milk Board
• Fair Trade Advocacy Office (FTAO)
• Fairtrade Belgium
• Fairtrade Germany, Fairtrade International
• Fern
• Fédération Artisans du Monde
• Forum Fairer Handel
• Greater Goods UK
• Girolomoni
• IFOAM Organics Europe
• Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
• Misereor
• Oxfam
• Polish Fair Trade Association
• Producentenorganisatie Consumptieaardappelen (POC)
• Producentenorganisatie
• Eiwitboeren van Nederland
• Rifò
• U-landsforeningen Svalerne
• World Fair Trade Organization-Europe
• Zotter Schokolade Austria
  
  

Get in touch: 

For more information about our work on Unfair Trading Practices (UTPs), please contact our Managing Director, Jorge Conesa, at conesa@fairtrade-advocacy.org

This publication has been produced with the support of  the Sustainable Agricultural Supply Chains Initiative (SASI) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).