Pending further analysis of the specifics of the agreement as more details are made public, the FTAO is nonetheless concerned that the mandate does not take into account the major challenges of climate and biodiversity and represents the continuation of business-as-usual, with the potential to lead to more CO2 emissions and deforestation that would add further stress to our planet's climate crisis.

Furthermore, the FTAO regrets that the concerns of civil society have been ignored, while
deploring the lack of transparency on the details of the negotiations. Furthermore, it regrets that the deal does not anticipate any guarantee of living income and living wages, a repeated demand of farmers, particularly smallholders and workers, exposing them to sustained precariousness. The Fair Trade Movement firmly believes that living income and living wages are an essential human right to create stability and reduce poverty, as European internal regulations, such as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, have already recognised. This agreement raises further concerns about the EU’s lack of policy coherence for sustainable development and its dubious contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals, with the 2030 target fast approaching.

The FTAO supports fair trade agreements with partner countries that can contribute to
prosperity and development on both sides, always within the limits of our planet and for the benefit of the people. The Fair Trade Movement stands for an open and fair trade system that takes into account better prices for farmers, decent working conditions and a fairer deal for farmers and workers.

For more information, please contact Virginia Enssle, International and Institutional Relations Manager at the FTAO, at enssle@fairtrade-advocacy.org.