Press Releases 2011

25 October 2011 (Strasbourg) – At today’s plenary session, the European Parliament adopted with an overwhelming majority a Resolution on the modernisation of public procurement. The European Parliament confirms the interpretation of the European Union (EU) rules by the European Court of Justice, which allows public authorities to compare products on the basis of how they have been produced. The Resolution also asks for clearer EU rules to integrate sustainability at each stage of the procurement process. ^[1] read more

13 October 2011 (Brussels) – In the framework of Fair Trade fortnight in Belgium, the European Parliament hosted a Fair Trade breakfast today in Brussels, with the participation of around 40 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) as well as representatives from the European Commission, EU Member States Permanent Representations, Southern countries Embassy officials, together with Fair Trade movement and Fair Trade producer representatives. read more

30 June 2011(Brussels) – The Network for Sustainable Development in Public Procurement (EPSU, GMB, UNISON, EMF, EFFAT, EFBWW, SOLIDAR, EFTA, Fairtrade International, WFTO-Europe, FERN, EMCEF, Ver.di, TUC, ENSIE, UNI Europa, Setem, and NETWORKWEAR) on the occasion of the European Commission’s Conference “modernising public procurement”1 on 30 June 2011 reiterates their ‘five key demands’ for the revision of the procurement Directives. read more

27 September (Strasbourg)– The European Parliament has today, adopted a Resolution ‘on a New Trade Policy for Europe under the Europe 2020 Strategy’[1] in response to the European Commission proposal on new EU trade policy [2]. Within this resolution, the European Parliament has clearly called again for the ‘European Commission to ensure coordinated policies in support of Fair Trade’. read more

4 June 2011 (Brussels) – European Union leaders have spoken out for Fair Trade and congratulated the Fair Trade Towns movement as it reaches its 1000th Fair Trade Town. On Saturday 4 June 2011 Spain’s capital city Madrid joins the UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s constituency Witney, amongst others, in reaching the status of the 1000th Fair Trade Town worldwide, most of them in the EU. On this festive occasion, the Fair Trade movement calls on the European Commission to reflect the EU citizens´ views in its upcoming legislative and policy proposals. read more

28 January 2011 (Brussels) – The European Commission has launched today the long-awaited “Buying social: a guide to take account of social considerations in public procurement”. A network of trade unions, social and sustainable development organisations considers this guide fails to reflect the true potential of public procurement as an instrument in support of social and sustainable development objectives. Much more is needed if the EU and Member States are to live up to the EU Treaty commitments and international obligations in this field. read more