The Committee of Regions (CoR) today stated its position in favour of a common European Fair Trade strategy today following the 112th plenary session of the European Committee of Regions.
The CoR advisory body representing loal authorities in Europe is the third largest European institution and holds a power which transcends national boundaries and governments. At the plenary session, attended by Luxembourg's Minister of the Interior Dan Kersch, the CoR reiterated its request that the European Union take a more ambitious approach in the matter of Fair trade, calling for a coordinated European strategy in the field of sustainable trade, development and consumption.
The demand echoed an opinion already made by the CoR in 2010, which received little support from the EU. The CoR therefore renewed its efforts to encourage the European Commission towards the implementation of concrete measures which will move it towards a coherent Fair Trade framework for the EU.
"In the new trade strategy of the European Commission, to be published in October, the inclusion of concrete measures to promote Fair trade - both in Europe and in member countries - is necessary for the establishment of a real coherence in development policy," confirmed Head of the Luxembourg delegation to the CoR, Marc Schaefer.
Rapporteur of the CoR, Barbara Duden, shared her belief that the European Year for Development could be an opportunity to put this issue on the EU agenda and make it an essential part of EU development policy for the EU's trade policy in future years.
The CoR asked that the Commission develop practical guidelines, drawing on concrete examples, to promote Fair Trade and other social criteria in public procurement, stating that not just the EU, but trade and development policies at the local and national levels play an important part in implementing development regulations.
One suggestion made by the CoR was of the addition of positive discrimination in favour of Fair Trade products to the criteria of public contracts. It also emphasised that local and regional communities can contribute significantly to the Fair Trade movement, setting an example through their own procurement policies and through the education of their citizens, whilst encouraging the adoption of responsible and fair purchasing practices amongst the economic agents in their area.
As an incentive for this last factor, the CoR proposed the creation of a 'Capital/European Area of Fair Trade' award to encourage, through EU level recognition, stronger commitments from local and regional efforts. To date, more than 1,500 European communities have been labelled 'Faire Trade Towns', with Luxembourg hosting 22 'Fairtrade Gemeng' towns around the country.
Luxembourg reportedly holds the potential to represent a high percentage of FairTrade-recognised labels and consumer products, with a 2012 survey demonstrating 81% of its citizens are familiar with FairTrade. Additionally, Luxembourg has implemented actions to promote awareness of ecological and ethical trade, such as the Fair Fashion event organised recently by Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg and Diekirch commune; and its participation in cross-border FairTrade network Quattrofair, comprising the four cities of Luxembourg, Metz, Trier and Saarbrücken.
The Luxembourg Presidency has stated its intention to encourage other EU countries to take concrete measures in this field, as FairTrade awareness varies considerably between EU Member States. In northern and western Europe, the Fair Trade brand is familiar to over half of the population, whereas awareness in countries within central and eastern Europe is much lower.
"A first step in realising the development of a strategy for Fair Trade in the European Union is the exchange in bilateral good practices in the field of Fair Trade. This exchange should be implemented by policymakers at local, regional and national levels," stressed Jean-Louis Zeien, President of Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg.
"Moreover, public institutions should themselves set an example and take concrete steps towards supporting Fair Trade, exceeding the stage of mere statements," he added. "To begin to measure the commitment of public institutions will require an inventory of policy coherence in the image of fair public purchases in European insitutions in Luxembourg, Brussels and Strasbourg. "
Photo by Fair Trade Luxembourg / Committee of Regions
