1. WFTO Europe at Home
1.1 Restructuring: Proposal and EGM
1.2 A look back at 2024 and looking forward for 2025
2. Europe in a Nutshell
2.2 Global Green Deal: How the EU can lead a Fair and Just Transition worldwide
2.3 Advocacy files – WFTO-Europe involvement and contributions
3. WFTO Around the World
3.1 Trip to Ghana for a project designed from FTAO for the YFTAs (Young Fair Trade Advocates)
4. News from the Board
4.1 Co-opted members to the Board
5. News from the Office
5.1 Farewell Enni and Chiara, welcome Jana
1. WFTO Europe at Home
1.1 Restructuring: Proposal and EGM
As was decided by the membership in our AGM in June last year, the possibility of restructuring WFTO-Europe as a regional branch has been explored, with scenarios outlined by a working group of members (led by our former president, Juanjo Martinez).
The work of this group was presented in an online Members’ Meeting on 6th November, where space was given for members to provide feedback. Following this, the WFTO-Europe Board of Directors decided in December to propose the dissolution of WFTO-Europe as a legal entity and to rather keep the structure informal, within the framework of WFTO-Global (i.e. “merging” with Global – scenario #3 presented at the Members’ Meeting). The intention is to keep the WFTO-Europe Board (elected by European members through General Assemblies) as responsible for setting the strategy and overseeing the work of the regional coordinator, who will, however, be employed on a freelance contract or similar through the WFTO-Global office.
It is now a decision for you as members, whether the legal entity of WFTO-Europe should be dissolved in order to save costs and time otherwise spent on reporting to the Belgian authorities or whether it should be kept to ensure a formal, autonomous structure representing the European members. The vote will be held during the Extraordinary General Meeting called for 27th January 11:00-13:00 CET (10:00-12:00 GMT). Please make sure to be present to let your voice be heard on this extremely important decision. If you cannot be present, then please make sure to entrust a proxy vote to another member, who can vote on your behalf.
All information for the EGM on 27th January is available here.
Please register for the EGM here.
For any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at the secretariat at coordination@wfto-europe.org
1.2 A look back at 2024 and looking forward for 2025
On behalf of the Board and secretariat, we send you our best wishes and greetings for the new year of 2025. In this newsletter we take a look back at 2024 and look forward to some key moments and activities that we are anticipating in 2025.
In 2024 we recall in particular:
- Our collaboration with the FTAO to outline and promote a Global Green Deal to ensure the EU’s aim of a European Green Deal is truly fair and inclusive of affected people within – but also outside – the EU. We contributed to FTAO and Solidar’s organising of two events in Brussels involving MEPs, namely on 23rd January in the European Parliament and 5th December with the European Economic and Social Committee.
- International Women’s Day
- Kick-starting of Working Groups with members based on challenges highlighted in a survey at the beginning of 2024. Currently the operating WG’s are:
- Food (which tablet the Resolution on Food Criteria in the GS at the WFTO-Global AGM in Cape Town, which was passed with overwhelming majority).
- Textiles (next meeting on 17th January)
- Artifacts (next meeting on 14th January)
- Retailers
- A webinar on upcoming EU-Regulation with Caterina Occhio (SeeMe) as well as with the FTAO, covering legislation like Eco Design, Green Claims Regulation and notably the EU Deforestation Regulation.
- Collaboration to draft and promote the Fair Trade movement’s joint position paper on occasion of COP29.
- Participation in WFTO-Global’s Cape Town Summit, where we organised a workshop on the links between circular economy and Fair Trade within the context of the AfriFOODLinks project that we have contributed to during 2024.
- Participation in the International Fair Trade Towns Conference in Drakenstein (immediately following the Cape Town), where our coordinator, Mikkel, moderated a workshop on improving local impact of Fair Trade.
- The Fair Trade Advocacy Marathon, hosted by the FTAO, where Caterina Occhio participated in the European Parliament Fair Trade Breakfast on 13th November with a speech on behalf of European Fair Trade SME’s of the WFTO-Europe membership.
- Participation in the working group on Sustainable Economy of CONCORD Europe (together with other like-minded NGOs), where we participated in the application to host a workshop at the Social Economy Summit of the EU hosted in Bordeaux in 2025.
If you find we have been a bit more difficult to reach in 2024, please accept our apologies! We dedicated additional time to fundraising to ensure financial stability in this and coming years. In partnership with members, other regional offices, and external partners, we submitted 6 applications for projects and worked on an additional 4 to be submitted in the first quarter of this year. That is more than twice the number of project applications we have ever managed to handle in one year.
We are still waiting for the evaluation to at least two applications, while working to finalise and submit the remaining four. Our work continues while the process of restructuring goes on, to ensure stability and resources whatever the decision taken by members will be.
If any of you as members are looking to apply for projects as part of fundraising efforts of your own, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at the secretariat. We are happy to partner in projects and while we have most experience with EU funds we are also actively looking for projects with private funds.
For 2025, we are in particular looking forward to:
- The ongoing restructuring process – remember the extraordinary GM on 27th January (10:00-13:00 CET)
- Advocacy work on the EU’s Omnibus Review (in particular in order to defend the CSDDD from further watering down)
- Continuing the Working Groups, especially on Food, Textiles and Artifacts – but we are also looking at reviving the Northern Producers WG.
- International Women’s Day
- Fashion Revolution Week
- World Fair Trade Day
- The Social Economy Summit hosted by the EU in Bordeaux (in October)
As the year has just begun, many more events and activities will come up before spring. Stay tuned in the next newsletter (Expected in March or April) where we will share more about activities over the course of summer and possibly autumn.
We wish you a prosperous year ahead and thank you as always for your participation and contribution to our network.
2. Europe in a Nutshell
On November 12-13, FTAO’s well-organized Fair Trade Marathon brought the movement together to discuss the challenges and opportunities ahead. The event featured thought-provoking sessions on critical topics such as living income and wages, sustainable public procurement, agroecological futures, and shaping forward-looking advocacy agendas.
The sessions were designed to foster in-depth discussions and generate actionable solutions. One of the highlights was the session on Living Incomes and Wages, which focused on creating an enabling policy environment for fair compensation for workers and farmers. Another key session on Public Procurement prepared participants for the upcoming revision of the EU public procurement directive, a crucial policy shift that could reshape how governments engage with fair trade businesses.
On November 13, FTAO hosted the Fair Trade Breakfast at the European Parliament, a special occasion made possible by the European Parliament’s Fair Trade Working Group and its Chair, MEP Bernd Lange. This event featured contributions from global leaders and advocates, including Asiedu Juliana from Ghana, who passionately spoke about the need for living incomes to build resilient supply chains and the importance of supporting farmers to adapt to climate change, making clear how important it is to place farming communities at the heart of decision-making.
We were also honored by the presence of Ambassador Chandana Weerasena from the Embassy of Sri Lanka to Belgium, Luxembourg, and the EU, who shared a selection of fair trade products from Sri Lanka. Speaking on behalf of WFTO-Europe was Caterina Occhio, founder and CEO of SeeMe. In her speech she highlighted the crucial role that SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) play in advancing human rights and environmental standards. From implementing human rights due diligence as part of their core operations to proving that ethical practices lead to financial resilience, she demonstrated that responsible business is not only achievable but essential.
2.2 Global Green Deal: How the EU can lead a Fair and Just Transition worldwide
On December 5th, we hosted together with SOLIDAR and FTAO, at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) a policy roundtable titled Global Green Deal: How the EU Can Lead a Fair and Just Transition Worldwide. This event gathered policymakers, civil society representatives, farming communities, and Fair Trade advocates to discuss how the EU can enhance its efforts to ensure a Just Transition not only within its borders but also globally.
The urgency of addressing climate change and environmental degradation continues to grow, with vulnerable populations disproportionately affected. While the European Green Deal (EGD) represents a significant step forward, its focus has largely remained on domestic policies. This roundtable aimed to challenge EU decision-makers to expand the scope of the EGD and commit to a truly global dimension, addressing key areas such as international cooperation and trade reform.
Peter Schmidt, President of the EESC Section for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Environment, opened the discussion by highlighting the importance of aligning trade policies with global sustainability goals. His words set the tone for an event marked by a sense of shared purpose. Juan Carlos Úbeda, a young coffee farmer from Nicaragua, brought a powerful perspective to the table, sharing the realities faced by smallholder farmers and advocating for fairer trade structures that consider the needs of producers on the ground.
The dialogue then turned to the role of EU international cooperation in supporting Just Transitions in partner countries. Speakers emphasized that a Just Transition approach should guide EU external actions, ensuring that partner countries receive the support needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals while developing their own inclusive and sustainable economic models.
Trade was another central theme of the event, with discussions focusing on how Fair Trade principles can reshape global trade systems. Panelists stressed the need for inclusive, multi-stakeholder approaches to policy design, ensuring that the voices of smallholder farmers, trade unions, and local communities are heard in trade negotiations. The importance of robust impact assessments and the inclusion of Trade and Sustainable Development chapters in Free Trade Agreements was also underlined as critical steps towards promoting fairness and equity.
As the event concluded, participants underlined the importance of reconciling the EU’s domestic ambitions with its global responsibilities. The Global Green Deal was presented as a comprehensive policy agenda that could advance this vision, through cooperation and equity at every level. This roundtable highlighted the EU’s unique opportunity to lead the way in creating a fairer, more sustainable world.
2.3 Advocacy files – WFTO-Europe involvement and contributions
Advocacy is an essential part of WFTO-Europe’s mission to support Fair Trade and promote ethical practices. Over the past year, we have worked closely with our partners, especially FTAO, on several important policy issues. Here is a simple overview of our recent contributions:
- Review of the Textile Labeling Regulation
We contributed to discussions about the EU’s Textile Labeling Regulation, which sets the rules for how textile products should be labeled. Our focus was on including social aspects like fair wages and safe working conditions, along with environmental concerns, to make the regulation more complete and fair. - Model Contract Clauses
Together with FTAO, we helped create model contract clauses to support companies in adopting Fair Trade principles. These clauses make it easier for businesses to commit to ethical practices, ensuring fair treatment of workers and sustainable supply chains. - Global Green Deal
On December 5th, we co-organized a policy roundtable titled “Global Green Deal: How the EU Can Lead a Fair and Just Transition Worldwide” at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). This event brought together policymakers, civil society, and Fair Trade advocates to discuss how the EU can ensure a Just Transition on a global scale. The discussions focused on reforming trade systems and strengthening international cooperation for a fairer and more sustainable future.
- Omnibus Letter
Recently, we sent a letter directly to President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to urge the EC to uphold the CSDDD, the CSRD and the Taxonomy and to leave them out of the announced Omnibus’ Regulation. This process aims at updating several EU rules and programs to simplify them and to decrease the “burden” of regulation on companies. We are focused on ensuring this process doesn’t jeopardise the gains made in the CSDDD, which finally made it through a messy approval process in the European Council. Our letter was sent in particular on behalf of Fair Trade enterprises from our membership and was coordinated with a similar letter sent on behalf of more than 160 CSOs around the same time.
3. WFTO Around the World
3.1 Trip to Ghana for a project designed from FTAO for the YFTAs (Young Fair Trade Advocates)
4. News from the Board
4.1 Co-opted members to the Board
Just before Christmas the WFTO-Europe Board decided to co-opt two additional members to the Board. The former president, Juanjo Martinez, finished his second mandate at the most recent AGM in June of 2024, and since then the Board consisted of just three members. After much deliberation, two candidates for co-optation were found and who joined the most recent meeting of the Board on 8th January:
Caterina Micolano from CooperativAlice (in Italy) and Jennifer Harland from Shared Earth (in the UK).
The Board now consists of five members:
- Manfred Winkler, President (GLOBO)
- Caterina Occhio, also European representative on the Board of WFTO-Global (SeeMe)
- Charles Sim, Treasurer (Scottish Fair Trade)
- Caterina Micolano (CooperativAlice)
- Jennifer Harland (Shared Earth)
5. News from the Office
5.1 New Intern in the Office!
As January approaches, we bid farewell to Enni Xhelaj, our Communication and Advocacy Assistant, and Chiara Marra, our Project Management and Fundraising Assistant. Both have been invaluable members of the WFTO-Europe team.
Taking over the Communication and Advocacy role, we are excited to welcome Jana Kaliterna to the team. We look forward to seeing her ideas and enthusiasm in action.
Thank you, Enni and Chiara, for your hard work, and best wishes for the future. Welcome, Jana!