In order to develop the EU policy recommendations, the research identified the current challenges and opportunities for LAs to adopt resolutions on fair procurement, support local Fair Trade projects, cooperate with Fair Trade actors, perform information and education work on Fair Trade, as well as to support or implement any other local Fair Trade initiatives. It also explored how social innovation in the field of Fair Trade can be boosted by helping LAs develop, test, implement and upscale innovative Fair Trade projects.

The project ‘From local to EU: Scaling Up Fair Trade in Europe’ was a 9 month initiative which aimed to showcase and promote Fair Trade initiatives led by local authorities, as well as to develop EU policy recommendations on how the upcoming European Commission can further support local authorities’ work on Fair Trade. Co-funded by the German central contact agency for development policy initiatives, Engagement Global, and the EU, through the DEAR project Trade Fair Live Fair, the project engaged a wide range of stakeholders in a debate on the obstacles and challenges that are faced at local level to promote sustainable development through Fair Trade. Stakeholders’ feedback has been gathered through several consultation processes, in particular, the EU Conference ‘From Local to EU level: Scaling Up Fair Trade in Europe’, organised in Brussels on 27-28 June 2018, and ad-hoc interviews with nine local authorities across the EU.