The EP elections campaign as part of the Trade Fair Live Fair project has kicked off and is currently taking place for the European Parliamentary elections on 23-26 May this year, when citizens elect new Members to the EP (MEPs). The Fair Trade Advocacy Office (FTAO) is leading a pan-European campaign focused on the sustainable consumption and production (SCP) agenda, titled The Fair Times. The campaign has been developed in partnership with four other European Civil Society Organisations: IFOAM-EU, CIDSE, RIPESS and ECOLISE.
The Fair Times is the name of a fabricated newspaper, drafted in 2024, the end of the next EP term. It aims to inspire candidates to take action if elected in support of SCP. It also offers flexibility for supporters of the campaign to address topics that are most important to them: from climate change to organic agriculture, circular economy or gender equality. Topics covered within this special edition paper include agroecology, ethical fashion, Fair Trade, sustainable supply chains, the social and solidarity economy and more.
World Fair Trade Day (WFTD), which falls on Saturday 11th May in 2019, offers a great opportunity for various actors across the Fair Trade movement to promote the campaign, the issues it is highlighting and its aims. It’s possible to be part of the campaign in numerous ways, with different levels of commitment. You can invite MEP candidates to any WFTD events you have planned, arrange a meeting to discuss important topics highlighted in the newspaper or promote the campaign across your communications channels.
You can read the newspaper and keep track of the campaign’s progress at thefairtimes.eu. Here you will also find other campaign material, as well as space for sharing “stories” from the campaign from each member country. This way, all participants are able to learn from each other and support each others’ capacities, while increasing the outreach of their efforts in influencing future MEP’s to support Fair Trade.