Fair Trade

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  • Adopted on 27/03/2025 - Bureau decision date: 03/12/2024
    Reference
    NAT/945-EESC-2024
    Employers - GR I
    France
    Plenary session number
    595
    -
    Download — EESC opinion: New rules on cross-border enforcement against unfair trading practices
    • Record of proceedings NAT/945
  • Adopted on 26/03/2025 - Bureau decision date: 12/12/2023
    Reference
    NAT/930-EESC-2024
    Employers - GR I
    Germany
    Civil Society Organisations - GR III
    Slovenia
    Plenary session number
    595
    -

    The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has prepared an evaluation report on the evaluation of the Directive (EU) 2019/633 of 17 April 2019 on unfair trading practices in B2B relationships in the agricultural and food supply chain. The UTP Directive 2019/633 is a legal instrument aimed at protecting agricultural and food suppliers from unfair trading practices (UTPs) by buyers in the food supply chain.

    Download — Evaluation of Directive (EU) 2019/633 of 17 April 2019 on unfair trading practices in B2B relationships in the agricultural and food supply chain (Incl. Mapping of national UTP legislation)
    • Record of proceedings NAT/930
  • Adopted on 27/10/2005
    Reference
    REX/196-EESC-2005-01-01-1257
    Plenary session number
    421
    -
    On 8 February 2005, the European Economic and Social Committee, after a request received on February 2005 from the next UK's Presidency of the EU approved to draw an exploratory opinion on Ethical Trade and Consumer Assurance Schemes.
    Download — Ethical Trade and Consumer Assurance Schemes
  • In its capacity as the home of civil society, the EESC welcomed participants from several developing countries to the 2023 Civil Society Forum on Trade and Sustainable Development. Joined by high-level representatives from the EU, the ILO and UNCTAD, civil society speakers openly discussed existing policies and new initiatives, called for a truly inclusive approach and proposed concrete solutions to make trade a driving force for the Just Transition.

  • Reference number
    44

    In a plenary debate on the future of EU trade policy in a changing global reality, the EESC stressed that open, fair, inclusive and sustainable trade is the only trade that will deliver a resilient recovery and bring prosperity to business and people. It also acknowledged the key role of the World Trade Organisation towards this effort.

  • The new trade strategy launched by the Commission in February brings engaging principles to the table that will support the EU in achieving its domestic and external policy objectives. The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) welcomes this trade strategy as a way of improving market access and levelling the playing field. Alongside this, the modernisation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) will be the key to delivering for future generations.

  • On 30 November 2017, the Siauliai Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Crafts, in partnership with the European Commission, Siauliai District Municipality, Siauliai University and the EESC, held an international conference under the heading "Globalisation and Economic Patriotism: Dilemmas, Challenges and Possibilities" in Siauliai, Lithuania. Nearly 200 representatives from business, science, governmental bodies, local municipalities, social partnerships and other institutions attended the event. The European Economic and Social Committee's Employers' Group delegated three members of the group to the conference: Janusz Pietkiewicz, István Komoróczki and Pietro Francesco De Lotto.

  • New mandate, new challenge - reaffirming TSD amid economic security ambitions

    The third edition of the EESC Civil Society Forum on Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) took place on Thursday, 5 December, from 13:45 to 17:30 at the EESC premises in Brussels. Under the theme "New mandate, new challenge: reaffirming TSD amid economic security ambitions," this year's Forum focused on ensuring that the EU's economic security agenda is consistent with and delivers for TSD. As we welcome a new EU Commission, this is the moment to influence policy direction and ensure that trade policy fosters resilience and security alongside long-term development and social justice for all partners. 

  • The 4th annual All DAGs meeting took place on Monday 18 April 2024 09:00-13:00 at the EESC premises in JDE62.
    This was the first All DAGs meeting of this DAG mandate which welcomed the newer DAG Members, as well as more experienced ones. It was a unique opportunity to gather all EU DAG Members and EU institutions as one TSD community, to openly exchange ideas, challenges, and aspirations. The meeting featured, among others, CTEO Denis Redonnet and DDG Maria Martin-Prat, DG Trade.

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    The EU-Japan DAG hosted a workshop: "Promoting human rights and environmental due diligence together" on 9 April 2024 following a Joint Dialogue with Civil Society in Tokyo on 8 April. The workshop's objective was to foster dialogue between EU and Japan civil society representatives, focusing on best practices and a solution-oriented approach in an area of importance to the implementation of the TSD-chapter of the EU-Japan EPA. Human rights and environmental due diligence are topics of common interest, as the EU and Japan share values and want to secure resilient supply chains so as to do business in a sustainable way.