The incoming European Commission has pledged to deliver a ‘Vision for Agriculture and Food’ that underscores a fundamental principle: ensuring that farmers receive fair and sufficient incomes. Specifically, it highlights the importance of preventing farmers from being forced to sell their products below production costs. The Fair Trade Advocacy Office (FTAO) fully endorses this vision and emphasises that the upcoming evaluation and potential revision of the Unfair Trading Practices (‘UTP’) Directive offers a critical opportunity to translate this commitment into tangible outcomes.

Addressing farmer remuneration is not merely a European challenge but a global imperative. While smallholder European farmers grapple with rising production costs and diminishing incomes, their counterparts in non-EU countries often face even graver injustices, operating under fragile systems and earning far below living income thresholds. The EU’s reliance on agricultural imports from non-EU countries – vital for commodities such as cocoa and coffee – amplifies the interconnectedness of these issues. Therefore, achieving fair incomes for farmers worldwide is essential to fostering a sustainable and equitable global food system. 

This paper argues for a comprehensive approach that extends beyond the EU’s borders, calling for policies that uplift both EU and non-EU farmers. Such an approach not only levels the playing field but also reinforces the EU’s commitments to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and its broader sustainability objectives. By integrating fair remuneration into existing and future policies, including the UTP Directive, public procurement rules, and trade agreements, the EU can cement its leadership in advocating for fair and sustainable agricultural practices globally.