Press Releases 2012

10 November 2012 (Poznan) – The Mayor of Poznan launched today the Fair Trade Beyond 2015 Campaign, at the 6th International Fair Trade Towns Conference held in Poland. The Campaign is expected to achieve global results, uniting local leaders, civil society and the private sector in a call for just and ethical trade rules and practices to be incorporated in the future development framework that will take on the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, when they expire in 2015.

There is an ongoing global debate on what the future development framework beyond 2015 should look like. As a part of the discussions, the Fair Trade movement places two essential elements on the development agenda: trade and partnerships. read more

25 June 2012 (Brussels) – The Rio+20 Summit concluded on 22 June 2012 with disappointing results. The European Union must now take leadership in the follow-up actions agreed at the Summit, namely the development of Sustainable Development Goals, which must be people-centered. Achieving such goals will require a wide set of EU policy and market-led measures, including support to the uptake of Fair Trade.

The outcomes document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio +20 Summit) has been criticised by civil society and policy-makers alike for its lack of ambition and of action-oriented decisions. Even the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stated “the efforts have not lived up the measure of the challenge” and urged world leaders to take action. read more

10 May 2012 (Brussels) – Two days before World Fair Trade Day, the Court of Justice of the European Union provides much-needed legal clarification by confirming that Fair Trade criteria can be included in public procurement. This confirms the practice across the European Union by contracting authorities and cannot be ignored in the current revision of the EU Public Procurement Directive. read more

22 June 2012 (Brussels) – Fuelled by short-term interest and over-inflated financial markets, the current neo-liberal trade model is generating increasing inequality across Europe and the developing world. As outrage builds about the parlous state of our economies, a critical mass of European activists are pushing for a radical alternative to the EU trade agenda. read more

25 April 2012 – A new report has identified how the European Union can take steps to ensure fair play in the grocery market. The report, which was commissioned by international and European organisations concerned with the how the food sector currently impacts upon on farmers, workers and consumers, looks at how EU member states tackle unfair commercial practices in dealings between retailers and suppliers.

Of 15 member states reviewed, 10 have already taken steps to inhibit unfair and imbalanced commercial relationships using a combination of both soft and hard legislative measures. Five other Member states are currently in the process of implementing measures to address the same problem. Two member states have already had to ratchet up their policy solutions, because their initial solutions developed were too soft. read more

24 April 2012 (Brussels, Bonn Washington D.C., Seattle) – Incofin Investment Management, Fairtrade International and Grameen Foundation announced they are establishing the first fund to focus on the unmet demand of smallholder farmers for longterm loans. Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ:SBUX) joins as the Fund’s first anchor private investor with a $1.3m (€1m) commitment. The Fund will offer investors both financial and demonstrable social results.

The full press release can be found here.

27 January 2012 (Brussels) – Today the European Commission (EC) published its new EU trade and development plan. While welcoming the commitments to support small producers and fair, organic and ethical trade initiatives, the Fair Trade movement regrets the lack of commitment to mainstream Fair Trade principles across EU policies.

The Communication on “Trade, Growth and Development” aims to “modernise” the existing EU trade and development policy, dating back from 2002. However, the resulting policy is a continuation of the “business as usual” trade policy, sugarcoated with development aid to help to “swallow the pill” of the EU trade liberalisation agenda. read more