The European Parliament issues a clear call to action in today’s report “New developments in public procurement” as it renews pressure on the European Commission (EC) to support Fair Trade Public Procurement. The Fair Trade movement applauds the Parliament’s adoption and waits for results from the Commission.

The European Parliament (EP) “Calls on the Commission to encourage public authorities to use Fair Trade criteria in their public tenders and purchasing policies on the basis of the Fair Trade definition as recognized by the European Parliament resolution on Fair Trade and Development of 6 June 2006 and the recent European Commission Communication of 5 May 2009; reiterates its earlier call to the Commission to promote this by, e.g., producing constructive guidelines for Fair Trade procurement; welcomes the unanimous adoption of the opinion of the Committee of the Regions on 11 February 2010 calling for a common European Fair Trade strategy for local and regional authorities”.

This call must be interpreted in the context of the current work of the European Commission (EC) on a draft guide “Buying social: a guide to taking account of social considerations in public procurement”, expected by June 2010, which is supposed to give guidance on how to include social considerations in public procurement.

“We welcome the European Parliament’s renewed support to Fair Trade Public Procurement. When giving practical guidance to contracting authorities, the Fair Trade movement calls on the European Commission not to turn a deaf ear to the loud and clear message from the European Parliament, Committee of the Regions and court rulings, which unanimously confirm the possibility to tender for Fair Trade products” states Sergi Corbalán, on behalf of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO) and the European Fair Trade Association (EFTA).

The EP is not the only EU Institution to have publicly stated its support to Fair Trade. The Fair Trade movement is also encouraged by the repeated public statements in support of Fair Trade made by Mr Michel Barnier, Commissioner for Internal Market and Services, responsible for EU public procurement legislation.

Fair Trade Public Procurement has also received strong political support. In addition to today’s report, the 2006 European Parliament Resolution on Fair Trade and development and the 2010 Committee of the Regions opinion on Fair Trade called on public authorities in Europe to integrate Fair Trade criteria into their public tenders and purchasing policies and asked the Commission to promote this by, e.g., producing guidelines for Fair Trade procurement.

The possibility for contracting authorities to tender for Fair Trade products has also been confirmed by the “Groningen” ruling of 23 November 2007  and also by the recent “Den Helder / Alkmart” court ruling of 18 March 2010, which states “the principle of equal treatment of tenderers does not prohibit applying criteria that strongly restrict the circle of eligible parties. Such criteria must be objectively justified and therefore may not be intended to tailor to a certain tenderer (…) To procure on the basis of fair trade standards is acceptable”

Against this background, the Fair Trade movement calls on the European Commission to reflect its own commitment and the overall political support to Fair Trade Public Procurement into a practical constructive can-do guidance on how to support Fair Trade Public Procurement.

The Fair Trade movement looks forward to continuing cooperation with EU Institutions, EU Member States and local and regional authorities, with the goal of improving the livelihoods of marginalised producers and workers in the South through procurement policies.

The Fair Trade Advocacy Office speaks out for Fair Trade and trade justice with the aim to improve trading conditions for the benefit of small and marginalised producers and poor workers in developing countries. Based in Brussels, the office coordinates the advocacy activities of the main Fair Trade Networks: Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International FLO, World Fair Trade Organization WFTO, and European Fair Trade Association EFTA. These three networks bring together over 2 million Fair Trade producers from more than 60 countries, 20 labelling initiatives, hundreds of specialized Fair Trade importers, 3000 worldshops and more than 100,000 volunteers.

Read more at www. fairtrade-advocacy.org

Contact: Hilary Jeune. Fair Trade Advocacy Office.  Tel: +32 (0) 2 543 19 23. Email: jeune(at)fairtrade-advocacy.org